You wouldn't know it by taking stock of the most popular online NBA betting conversations, but the Memphis Grizzlies are having a dominant 2022-23 season.
Heading into their matchup with the young and frisky Indiana Pacers, the Grizzlies are currently vying for the Western Conference's best record while placing first in points allowed per possession on the defensive end. Never mind Memphis' odds of making the 2023 NBA playoffs. They're moving beyond that. Ja Morant looks like a fringe MVP candidate. Jaren Jackson Jr. might be Defensive Player of the Year. Desmond Bane could be an All-Star. The Grizzlies, as a result, are laying serious—and enticing—odds to win the 2023 NBA Finals.
Of course, part of earning contender status is maintaining it. That means winning the games you're supposed to win. And according to the latest NBA online betting odds from the folks over at BetOnline, this matchup with the Pacers is a game the Grizzlies are supposed to win:
Always remember to double-check online NBA betting odds until you submit your Grizzlies vs. Pacers predictions. Our betting odds for the Pacers vs. Grizzlies game are accurate entering the morning of Thursday, January 12. Indiana and Memphis, however, will not face off until Saturday, January 14, at 7 p.m. EST. And any time you're dealing with NBA betting lines that were published more than 24 hours before the opening tip-off, there are bound to be small tweaks made to the initial lines.
Luckily, anyone who lands with the right odds provider doesn't have to worry about missing out on last-minute changes that will invariably arise. And that's why we've put together reviews of the top online sportsbooks—to help everyone easily spot the best online NBA betting sites around.
And with all our housekeeping notes out of the way, it's time to drop our moneyline, point spread, and over/under predictions for Grizzlies vs. Pacers!
The Indiana Pacers are Good and Playing at Home...Should the Memphis Grizzlies be Worried?
Most anticipated that the Pacers would enter the tanking race this season. After all, they were young and expected to trade both Myles Turner and Buddy Hield to the highest bidder. But Indiana has instead held on to Turner and Hield while watching Tyrese Haliburton blossom into an All-NBA-level player.
The end result? An above .500 record with one of the Association's most lethal statistical profiles on offense. The Pacers are a team that can beat any other team on any given night. That includes the Grizzlies.
And yet, Memphis' defense is uniquely built to stymie what Indiana does best: get out in transition and chuck threes. The Grizzlies are stocked with both suffocating and versatile stoppers, including Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and Steven Adams. Their roster is designed to chase opponents off the three-point line and stall them out on the break.
That, in turn, will force the Pacers to slow things down. And as we've seen more than a few times this season, Indiana is hardly at their best when forced to go through the half-court motions. Maybe some home cooking helps them get over the hump, but we doubt it. The Grizzlies are juggernauts.
OSB Prediction: Memphis Grizzlies (-195)
This Could be an Easy Point Spread Cover for the Grizzlies
Here are the latest NBA point spread betting odds for the Grizzlies vs. Pacers game on Saturday night:
- Memphis Grizzlies, -4.5 (-110)
- Indiana Pacers, +4.5 (-110)
Initially, we wondered whether it was smart to invest in the Pacers' point spread. Indiana has covered 59.5 percent of their games so far this season—the second-best mark in the entire league. Pair that with their generally stellar play at home; it felt like a worthwhile roll of the dice.
But then it was announced that Haliburton, the Pacers' best player, could miss time with a knee injury. And that changes everything. Indiana doesn't have an offensive life force without him. Benedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard are both rookies, and running the offense through the spacing-challenged T.J. McConnell only gets you so far.
Forget about hemming and hawing over a 4.5-point spread. If Haliburton misses this game like we expect him to, the Grizzlies should win by double digits.
OSB Prediction: Memphis Grizzlies, -4.5 (-110)
Plenty of Scoring is Going to Take Place When Indiana Hosts Memphis—And Here's Why
Below you can see the latest NBA over/under betting odds for the Pacers vs. Grizzlies game on Saturday night:
- Over 236.5 (-110)
- Under 236.5 (-110)
While the NBA has more efficient offenses than the attacks we'll see run by Memphis and Indiana, the speed at which both plays is a recipe for the "over."
The Grizzlies are third in average offensive possession time, while the Grizzlies are 11th. Both Memphis and Indiana also rank in the top five of transition frequency. And beyond that, the Pacers and Grizzlies are each jacking noticeably more three-pointers than they did last season.
This all amounts to extra possessions—as well as higher-scoring possessions overall. If both sides are at full strength, this should be a final score that flirts with 245 or more.
Granted, it's worth keeping an eye on Haliburton's status for the Pacers. If he's a no-go, you should see whether that impacts the over/under marker at all. For now, though, the play styles of both Memphis and Indy have us believing they'll get each top 120 points.
OSB Prediction: Over 236.5 (-110)
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