Memphis vs Minnesota: Morant to Bring the Grizzlies to Victory

Hardly anyone expected parity to remain in place for Game 5 of the playoff series between Memphis and Minnesota. Bookmakers expect the Grizzlies to take the lead at home - should we wait for a sensation? 

The Grizzlies' young players have made some serious progress this season. Desmond Bane has shown stellar play in the playoffs, joining Klay Thompson and Steph Curry in the last 2 games who previously were the only players in basketball history to make 7+ three-pointers in 2 straight playoff games. Ja Morant has been a better playmaker so far, though he averaged 27.4 points per game in the regular season. There's also no mention of his coaching. As the championship progressed, he repeatedly managed without one of his top players, whether it was Brooks or Morant. Taylor Jenkins has made some bold decisions in the playoffs - dropping Steven Adams to the bench, fielding Kyle Anderson and Xavier Tillman, as well as giving Brandon Clark plenty of playing time.

Memphis has five wins in its last 10 games. Last match against Minnesota, they came up just shy of 118-119. Morant had a poor game but still added 15 assists to his 11 points. Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane came to the forefront, scoring 24 and 34 points respectively.

Minnesota has won games this playoffs when fans have run out onto the floor in protest. Coincidence? Probably. Either way, the Timberwolves are playing decently. It was evident back in the regular season that the Wolves are ready to prove themselves in the postseason. Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt have improved on defense, with Pat Bev making good help on offense in some games. Karl-Anthony Towns has been unstable against Memphis, making only 4 shots from the field in one game but the night before, the star center bounced back. Minnesota won due to Towns' 33 points and good shooting from beyond the arc by Beverley, Edwards and McLaughlin. As a result, the Wolves made 18 of 36 three-pointers, an incredible figure for a playoff game. 

The Grizzlies are known for their ability to take games with a tenacious defense even when their offense isn't the brightest. In the last two games, Ja Morant scored at a reasonably low percentage from the field, but Memphis has come up just short of winning two straight. The home team's leader is capable of adding, and he's already scored 32 points in the opening game. The Grizzlies have shown that they can neutralize Towns in individual games, with some work left to be done on mistakes. For example, Minnesota won't consistently score half of their three-pointers because, in the regular season, they hit at a 35.8 percentage (12th best in the NBA). All in all, the favorite is obvious.

TelecomAsia Sport is looking for horse racing tipsters. Contact jobs@telecomasia.net for more information.