Portland Trail Blazers vs Memphis Grizzlies: Grizzlies are rolling, Portland is desperate!

How do you think the COVID-19 has impacted the betting scenario? It has hit tipsters, bookmakers, bettors all in a flurry. Anyway, talking about another tough betting scenario, the Portland Trail Blazers host the Memphis Grizzlies in a typical Western Conference tussle. Portland has lost the way and is six games under the 50% win mark while Grizzlies are just in a reverse and a better position, six wins over the mark. The Grizzlies have won seven games out of the last eight while Portland has lost six in a row. Can the Trail Blazers snap their streak against the surging Grizzlies. To know what are my thoughts about the “total”, head over to “Expert Betting Tips”.

Grizzlies defense has picked up: Grizzlies were known as one of the worst defenses in the league, giving up 115 points or more way too often. That has changed since the injury to Ja as the team has not allowed more than 104 points in any of the last ten games, restricting teams to around 90 or so in eight games. This is one of the elitest defensive efforts in the league lately and it seems like Jaren Jackson, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, Desmond Bane, DeAnthony Melton are focused on the defensive end and the perimeter defense has tightened up. This is an encouraging sign but this brings life to a question, is this the Memphis defense way better because Morant is out? Or is the team playing more motivated to prove its depth?

Portland’s defense remains horrific: Trail Blazers defense has been horrific this season. In the last ten games or so, during the majority of the games, the team has given up more than 115 points, even giving as much as 145, this is one of the most terrible defensive efforts indeed except for a couple of games where the team tried a little harder. Damian Lillard at perimeter is not a hard-nosed defender while Nurkic has not been able to deflect many shots in the paint. Portland's defense is in dire need of some fixing and the time is running out as the team has lost games in bunches.

Challenge for Portland here: Apart from improving the defense, the Grizzlies have kept the pressure up scoring-wise. The team has scored 108 or so regularly even without Morant as Brooks, Jaren Jackson, and Desmond Bane have especially accelerated their offensive output. This also means that the Grizzlies have been working the ball around well and finding open shots on a regular basis. Trail Blazers are not known for their and contesting Bane and Brooks will not be an easy job for the team’s poor perimeter defense. 

Points Range: Portland Trail Blazers games have shown varied scoring range this season, mostly, falling in high-scoring range but since the injury to CJ, the trend has been broken a little. Still, you’d expect Grizzlies to score around 110 or something against this defense. But I believe the Trail Blazers will defend better here and restrict the team around 105 or so. I believe Portland can score 105-115 points. I think the points range here is 212-224.

Prediction: Look, I know betting for a team that is on a six-game losing streak is a risky proposition but I believe Portland will snag one against a high-flying Grizzlies team. Trail Blazers are due a win and I believe if Damian Lillard plays here, he will finally have a big night this season. I choose Portland to win here with a scoring line of 111:104.

• Win: Portland Trail Blazers for 1.95;
• Under 219.5 for 1.97;
• Team Props: Team Totals: Over 109.5 for 1.86.