There are four games around the NBA on Wednesday night as the league returns after darkness on historic Selection Night. With so many options to choose from, I have no excuse if I take it tonight. I could probably catch an easier game, at least from a betting standpoint, than the Pacers at the Grizzlies. I just think this matchup is important for a few reasons. Memphis is a 7.5-point home favorite in the Pacers vs Grizzlies odds at DraftKings Sportsbook, and the Over/Under is 229.5. Say the best Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS55, trade $25, and get this $55 bonus:
Tip-off at FedExForum is set for 8 pm ET. There’s no national TV, but it’s not bad, since it’s Memphis, Indiana. At -7.5 per DraftKings, the Grizzlies see mass ATS action as the publication, 99% handles and 80% bets. Similar points exist under 229.5.
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Pacers-Grizzlies NBA same game parlay
- Memphis money line
- Grizzlies alt Under 131.5
- Cam Boozer 15+ points
DraftKings: SGP price: +136 (subject to change)
The NBA was probably my favorite professional sports league when Michael Jordan started dominating the Bulls. I have known him for a long time. But I’ve reconsidered this in some years, because I’m so tired of healthy guys sitting for “rest management.” These guys only work seven months a year and make a living. If he is injured, it is a very different matter.
In fact, the Pacers embarrassed themselves and the NBA on Monday in a 108-104 home loss to Atlanta, Indiana’s fifth straight loss. Yes, some guys were injured for the team in that one but 11 guys went out — representing about 93% of their payroll — with six total available. All six guys – among the team’s three players in two ways – played 34 or more minutes and reached double figures. Second-round rookie guard Braden Smith, so good in college at Purdue, had a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists in 42 minutes of action.
Per NBA.com, it marked the first time in 22 years that the Pacers have used so few players in a game. While it was the eighth instance of teams using only six guys over the past 15 seasons, almost every other game was empty at the end of the campaign when teams were tanking or resting in the playoffs. This season is not even two weeks old.
The last time a team used only six players in a game was also early in the season on November 24, 2009, when Golden State still beat Dallas and beat them. ESPN is telling me that the last time a team used six or fewer players was in its first season in 1948, when the Eagles used five in their third game of the season.
What really bothered me was Indiana resting arguably their second best player in Pascal Siakam in the second back to back when he was in such bad shape. Kelly Oubre Jr. he was recently injured due to a broken knee and Larry Nance Jr. he sat down with the disease.
Now, some guys are really hurt and won’t even play tonight: Superstar Tyrese Haliburton and fellow guards TJ McConnell, Ben Sheppard and Johnny Furphy. But Oubre, fellow forward Obi Toppin and starting center Ivica Zubac are all questionable after sitting out as well. Zubac will be a help, as he has been limited to just three games and has not played since Oct. He played 25 So I expect a competitive team tonight, but also looking forward to the next game against Denver in Mexico City on Saturday.
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My goal here was to look at the huge surprise of Memphis, which was near the top of the Western Conference at 6-1, and may have lost the league finals, although it had set a preseason win total of just 28.5, which was among the NBA’s lowest.
This was a full rebuilding season after No. 3 overall rookie Cameron Boozer. That star leader was great, because perhaps Washington was ranked No. 1 (AJ Dybantsa) and Utah at No. 2 (Darryn Peterson) now realizes he made a mistake passing on Boozer.
He is your +200 favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year and is just playing smarter than his 19 years of age averaging 17.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He had a 18/12/12 triple-double in the Portland Trail Blazers on October 29, becoming the youngest player in the league to hit the bench with one. Look how good he will be when he tries and starts shooting better – only 36% from the field. For tonight, Booser’s Over/Under PRA is 32.5.
That’s tied with Siakam (33.5) for the second highest on the night, with perhaps the NBA’s most impressive player on the Grizzlies 29-year-old Ty Jerome. He averaged an astounding 28.2 points per game on 50.4% from the field. This is obviously not sustainable for someone who hasn’t averaged double-digit points for his career – although he did score a career-high 19.7 PPG last season.
I thought Jerome’s slump had already started with 25 points in back-to-back games before he put up 40 in that first loss of the year on Monday, 135-134 in OT vs. New Orleans. The Grizzlies list defensive backup Scotty Pippen Jr. (6.4 PPG) as an outside and backup center Quintin Post (7.6 PPG) as doubtful.
The Pacers have lost five straight games in Memphis, with their last there on April 11, 2021. Expect that trend to continue with the Grizzlies’ 121-118 victory. Indiana is decent defensively at 115.8 PPG, and Zubac will help on that end. Check out other financial experts read on SportsLine daily.