Grizzlies vs. Nuggets Picks & Predictions 12/20/22

Memphis Grizzlies (19-10 SU, 14-13-2 ATS) vs. Denver Nuggets (18-11 SU, 12-17-0 ATS)

When: Tuesday, December 20th, 10:00 PM (ET)

Where: Ball Arena, CO, Denver

TV: TNT

Point Spread: MEM -1.5/ DEN +1.5 (Stop wasting your hard earned cash! Stop laying -110 odds on games and start laying only -105 at BetAnySports Sportsbook! You’ll be so glad you did!)

Total: 234.0

Money Line: Memphis Grizzlies -121/ +102

Notable Injuries

Grizzlies

• Danny Green (Out) ACL/LCL
• Desmond Bane (Out) Toe

Nuggets

• Jeff Green (Questionable) Back
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Questionable) Leg
• Nikola Jokic (Probable) Knee
• Jamal Murray (Questionable) Ankle
• Michael Porter Jr. (Doubtful) Heel
• Collin Gillespie (Out) Lower Leg

Recent Form

Heading into the game, Memphis is 19-10 overall. When taking to the road, Memphis has a mark of 6-8 and a win percent of 43%. Currently, the team is 1st in the Western Conference. So far, they are 14-13-2 vs the spread. When looking at how the team has performed of late straight and vs the spread, they are 4-1 in their past 5 games and 3-1-1 ATS. Over their past 10 games, they are 8-2 SU and 7-2-1 ATS.

Memphis most recently lost to the Thunder by a score of 115-109. The team high 32 points from Dillon Brooks was not enough to come away with the win. The Grizzlies were 11-point favorites going into the game.

Heading into the game, Denver is 18-11 overall. When playing at home, Denver has a mark of 9-3 and a win percent of 75%. Currently, the team is 2nd in the Western Conference. So far, they are 12-17-0 vs the spread. In Denver’s last 5 games, the Nuggets have a straight-up record of 4-1 while going 1-4 in those games. Going back to the last 10, they are 6-4 and 3-7 ATS.

Most recently, the Nuggets took down the Hornets by a score of 119-115. Nikola Jokic finished with 40 points, which was the most on the team. Denver did not cover the spread as 9-point favorites.

The Historicals

In last year’s regular season games with the Nuggets as the home team, Denver and Memphis played to a split. However, the Grizzlies won the overall season series 3-1. Similar to their season-long average, the Grizzlies averaged 111.25 points per game vs the Nuggets. Similar to the Grizzlies, the Nuggets scored at a rate near the league average. In their games vs Memphis, the team averaged 110.75 points per game. Across the last 5 matchups between the teams, Memphis has gone 3-2 vs the spread. However, the Nuggets actually have a positive scoring margin in these games at +4 points per game. A combined average of 220 points per game was achieved in these matchups, leading to an over-under mark of 1-4.

Analysis

This season, Memphis is among the league leaders in scoring, averaging 116.2 points per game. So far, the Grizzlies are also one of the more up-tempo teams in the league, sitting at 100.8 possessions per game. The three-point shot has been a big part of Memphis’ offensive game plan, as they are ranked 12th in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 35.6% of their looks from the outside. Defensively, the Grizzlies have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 109.93 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 34.88%.

As the Grizzlies prepare for today’s game, Ja Morant is their leading scorer with an average of 26.7 points per game. This season, Morant has a field goal percentage of 45.3%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Dillon Brooks, who is averaging 18.3 points per game.

For the season, Denver has put together one of the top-scoring offenses in the NBA at 115.8 points per game. When looking at their style of play, the team is currently near the league average in pace, averaging 98.6 possessions per contest. Denver has struggled with their 3-point shot this season, as they are currently ranked just 2nd in 3-point shooting percentage at 38.7%. In addition, they are near the bottom of the league in attempts, at just 30.2 attempts per contest. On defense, the Nuggets are allowing an average of 110.41 points per game, placing them 14th in the league. So far, they have done a good job defending the 3-point arc, as teams are hitting just 34.42% of their looks from deep.

Going into today’s game, Nikola Jokic is the leading scorer for the Denver team, with an average of 25.2 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 62.1%. The team’s second top scorer is Aaron Gordon, who is averaging 17.0 points per game.

Betting Trends

• Grizzlies are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
• Grizzlies are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
• Nuggets are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
• Nuggets are 9-21 ATS in their last 30 games following a straight up win.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

Denver will likely be in the hunt by the end of the season but they’re still building chemistry and don’t really have an identity. They will one day be a team we won’t consider betting against; They have that kind of talent. However, it’s not today! The Grizzlies are white hot right now and blowing teams out of the water. Don’t let their loss to OKC deter you. They were in a look ahead spot and it bit them. Lay the -1.5 with Memphis! Want more Tuesday NBA predictions? Check out what the Predictem Pros are playing!