Game Time: 7:30 PM ET, Monday, January 3rd, 2022 

Venue:  Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Where to Watch:  NBA TV

DraftKings:  Spread: NL

BetMGM:  Spread:  NL

VegasInsider:  Spread:  NL

Caesars: Spread: NL

The Grizzlies have something they have not had in years… a total and complete team.  They are almost the real deal in the world of NBA contenders.  They can win a matchup against anybody and it shouldn’t shock you.  They have one player to thank for the instant return to credibility that they haven’t seen since C Marc Gasol and PG Mike Conley were a young active duo… and that guy is PG Ja Morant.  Ja was drafted #2 in the 2019 draft just after his AAU high school teammate PF Zion Williamson… with the 3rd season for those guys half way finished, the results are in… The Grizzlies won that draft!  No contest, Zion hasn’t been able to stay on the floor.  Taking Zion out of the equation though… Ja is the one true super star and team leader from that draft which included RJ Barrett to the New York Knicks, Deandre Hunter to the Atlanta Hawks (via traded pick), Tyler Herro to the Miami Heat… The only guy close is PG Darius Garland to the Cleveland Cavaliers with the #5 pick… and he isn’t that close.  Ja is teamed with young fantastic PF Jaren Jackson JR, veteran Center Steven Adams, and SG Dillon Brooks who is starting to put it all together when he is healthy and playing… add to that some role players and they have a young, talented, flexible roster that can compete at a high level.  The Grizzlies have won 7 of their last ten games and are currently on a four-game winning streak.  During that 4-game streak the Grizz are 3-1 ATS Winning and mostly covering… that is the new Grizzlies.  Expect them in the playoffs and expect them to win a round or two.

The Brooklynn Nets have the league’s most potent offensive weapon in Kevin Durant… Kevin is one of the greatest scorers to ever step on an NBA floor.  A 6’10 small forward with a sweet jump shot, a decent handle as he drives to the basket, and the will to be great. Kevin was also famously taken #2 to a big man in 2007… Kevin was also not only the better pick, but the best pick in his draft… and that big man Greg Oden (#1 to Portland) barely played before medically retiring 5 seasons later… Oden attempted a return in 2013, but had nothing left.  All the while Kevin Durant lit up the league with the Oklahoma City Thunder… then the Golden State Warriors where he won a ring… and now the Brooklyn Nets.  The 15 season vet is averaging 29.8 points per game with 7.9 rebounds.  The Nets are uniquely constructed… They are a true big three with SG/PG James Harden and SG/PG Kyrie Irving also legitimate super stars (Harden won MVP like Durant… Irving won a Championship ring with LeBron James)... Covid and injury derailed the Nets Championship aspirations the last two seasons since Durant and Irving joined… Brooklyn is hoping for smooth sailing to get the chip this season.  Brooklyn has won 7 of their last 10 games.  However they are on a 2 game losing streak having dropped to the Los Angeles Clippers and the Philadelphia 76ers during the chaos of Covid absences… They are 1-3 ATS over the last four games.

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Grizzlies: 23-14, 4th place Western Conference

Nets: 23-11, 2nd place Western Conference

Memphis is 23-14 on the season, but 22-15 ATS.  They have logged 19 Overs and 18 Unders.  They are 10-6 in road games.

Brooklyn is 23-11 on the season, but 15-19 ATS.  They have notched 16 Overs and 18 Unders.  They are 10-8 in home games.

The Grizzlies are 7th in points with 111.7 per game, 2nd in rebounds with 47.5 per game, and 7th in AST/TO ratio with 1.9.  They are just average shooting the ball at 17th in FG% and 17th in 3PT%... the free throws are a mess at just 24th in FT% with 75.6%.  They get wins through hustle, will, and rebounds.  The defense is only 18th in the NBA holding teams to 108.2 ppg… leaving a thin margin for error. They have to play great against the powerhouses of the league, but it’s definitely in them.

Brooklyn is 23-11 on the season, but 15-19 ATS.  They have notched 16 Overs and 18 Unders.  They are 10-8 in home games.

Our prediction for Monday, January 3rd is…. Memphis 109 - Brooklyn 108

This will be an upset.  Brooklyn is most likely to be favored by a few points when the line comes out.  However Brooklyn is going through some tumult at the moment trying to figure out where and when they will re-insert Kyrie Irving back into the team after the unvaccinated whack-job has not played all season because of his vaccination status.

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The Grizzlies are 12-6 ATS over their last 18 games.

The Grizzlies are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 matchups with Brooklyn.

The total has gone Over in 8 of the last 11 games of this series.

Memphis: SG Dillon Brooks (covid) Out, SG Jarrett Culver (covid) Out, SF Zaire Williams (knee) Out indefinitely, 

Brooklyn: PG Kyrie Irving (can not play in home games) Ques ** PF Kessler Edwards (covid) Out ** SG Joe Harris (ankle) Out

Grizzlies: SF Kyle Anderson, PF Jaren Jackson JR, C Steven Adams, PG Ja Morant, SG Desmond Bane

Nets: PF Bruce Brown, SF Kevin Durant, C LaMarcus Aldridge, PG Patty Mills, SG James Harden

Grizzlies

Points: Ja Morant 24.7

Assists: 6.6

Rebounds: Steven Adams 9.1

Steals: De'Anthony Melton 1.7

Blocks: Jaren Jackson Jr 1.8

Nets

Points: Kevin Durant 29.8

Assists: James Harden 9.9

Rebounds: James Harden 8.3

Steals: James Harden 1.4

Blocks: Nic Claxton 1.3

Grizzlies: Taylor Jenkins.  Coach Jenkins took the Grizzlies job in 2019 and has been slowly building his squad to become winners.  They need another jump to become true contenders, but the progress is obvious.

Nets:  Steve Nash.  Coach Nash is an NBA legend.  He won the MVP twice as a player!  He is in his rookie season as the Nets head coach and it remains to be seen if he has any control over the team at all.  He definitely is a soft spoken, relaxed guy.