Memphis Grizzlies vs Toronto Raptors Prediction: Grizzlies have hit a wall, Raptors have struggled

The NBA trade deadline is now just a few days away and there is a high chance that things will explode once we are around 24 hours away from the trade deadline. Earlier, Shams and Woj hit us with a shocker when they informed us that Kyrie Irving wants to be traded. More on that will follow soon and who knows if Kyrie reunites with his championship-winning teammate LeBron James. But that is all speculation, so let us get into the affair at hand as the Memphis Grizzlies take on Toronto Raptors.

The Grizzlies come into this game after losing 113:128 against the Cavaliers despite a 25 points outing by Desmond Bane. Surprisingly, they have lost seven out of their last eight games to form a dent in what was an electric start. But thanks to the electric start, they have compiled 32 wins and 20 losses. Thanks to the inconsistent play from the third rank onwards, they have still maintained a hold on the second spot although the Kings are not that far away.

The team has slumped ever since the injury to Steven Adams and their rebounding and toughness aren’t the same without him. How strange it is that this team has won more than 67% of games without Morant since last season who is their leading scorer and playmaker, but when their role players are out long-time, their performances take a dip. This is why it is a team game!

The Raptors enter the game after defeating the Rockets 117:111 as Fred Van Vleet scooped up 32 points. The Raptors have lost three out of their five games and in an extended window, six out of their nine games. This has been an abysmal season for Toronto which has been unable to get it done on a regular basis. This was after they had sparked a lot of hope last season and were building a well-balanced unit.

Fred Van Vleet and Pascal Siakam have continued to be two solid 20+ points scorers whereas OG Anunoby has scored a bunch too. Gary Trent is also having another solid season whereas sophomore Scottie Barnes is averaging around 16 points too. Despite that, it is strange that such balance hasn’t translated into wins. While their offense has improved from last season, their defense has fallen quite a bit.

• Grizzlies: OUT: Steven Adams, Dillon Brooks. QUESTIONABLE: Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson;
• Raptors: OUT: OG Anunoby, Otto Porter.

• Expected Leading Scorers: Ja Morant(28-35 Points)- QUES, Desmond Bane(23-27 Points), Fred Van Vleet(23-27 Points), Pascal Siakam(22-26 Points);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Xavier Tillman(10-12 Rebounds), Precious Achiuwa(10-12 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: Ja Morant(9-11 Assists)- QUES, Fred Van Vleet(6-8 Assists).

The Grizzlies have taken a huge tumble lately and their energy levels are nowhere close to what they were in December. Playing six out of eight games away from home is always tough but then it is a must to win on the road if you are to go deep during the Playoffs. The Raptors are also amidst a seven-game road trip and this will be their last game on the trip, having won half of the games, which is not a poor return. A lot will depend upon the availability of Morant for the Grizzlies so let us see what happens in that department. This is a tough one to predict, seriously, but I expect Memphis to exploit the home-court advantage. Predicting a scoreline of 120:115 in favor of Memphis here.