Phoenix Suns vs. Memphis Grizzlies Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/1/2022

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Venue: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN

Where to watch: NBA TV

DraftKings: Suns -7

BetMGM: Suns -7.5

Caesars: Suns -7.5

Suns: 62-14

Grizzlies: 54-23

Leave it to these two teams, of all the options in the West, to be a conference final preview. If you would’ve told me three months ago that this would’ve been this case … I might have believed you under merit alone, but not a soul would’ve thought the Memphis Grizzlies would be primed for a potential run at a championship with the Phoenix Suns in their way.

 

Alas, we are here and Friday’s matchup is going to be a barnburner. The top two teams in the Western Conference will battle it out in what is likely to be a chance to see these two late in May for an opportunity to go to the NBA Finals, because who exactly wants to face these teams right now?

 

The Suns, the reigning Western Conference champs, won their ninth straight game and 11th in their last 12 with a 107-103 win over the banged-up Golden State Warriors inside Chase Center on Wednesday.

 

All five starters scored in double figures and the Suns were able to hold on despite a rare 5 of 21 shooting night for Devin Booker. If you needed just another reminder on why this team is as good as it is, then take a good look at this game. This was the same team that went through a stretch without Chris Paul and didn’t even come close to losing a step. Paul finished with 15 points and eight assists, and Mikal Bridges had 22 points on 8 of 14 shooting.

 

"That's who we are. We are a work team. Even though the studies show that lifting after a game helps with recovery, I think they really enjoy being around each other and they enjoy the work," coach Monty Williams said. "... As I've said before, our guys are chasing something. When you're chasing something, you don't want to get to whatever you're chasing and not be ready."

 

Phoenix is normally a complete team with the prospective Defensive Player of the Year in Bridges on their squad, but man can this team score. During this nine-game winning streak, the Suns have averaged 126.9 points per game while giving up 113. They’re shooting 53.2 percent from the floor and an astonishing 41.4 percent from 3-point range.

 

A large part of that has been due to Booker turning into an MVP candidate on the best team in basketball, and if D-Book isn’t in the conversation, what are we even doing here? I get that it’s a Giannis, Embiid and Jokic conversation, but none of those teams are the best team in basketball and were able to do it without their point guard, who was certainly in the MVP conversation earlier in the season.

 

But speaking of point guards, what a battle this is going to be between CP3 and Ja Morant. Talk about someone else who should be in the MVP conversation, Morant and his ability to lead the Grizzlies to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference is incredible. Even though he is still out for the next few weeks, Memphis has been able to win games without their superstar point guard.

 

Memphis is coming off a 112-111 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday led by 25 points from *checks notes* Tyus Jones, who scored as many points than the likes of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane combined. Jones also chipped in with six assists to lead five players in double figures.

 

"A gutsy win," Jones said. "Those are the wins that show you it's not always going to be a pretty game. It's not always going to be every shot falling and we win by 20. Sometimes you're going to have to grind it out and go win a game down the stretch on the offensive end or maybe the defensive end. We need those games down the stretch here."

 

Let’s be real, though. The Grizzlies as good as they are now, are only going to go places when Morant is leading the charge. I feel the Grizzlies are easily dissected without Morant on the floor, especially with a mastermind like CP3 at the other end.

I don’t want to discredit what the Grizzlies have done to this point, but man, who’s going to go against the Suns right now? I can’t imagine looking at this schedule and thinking the Suns are willing to slow down. Wins against these teams that are in contention are going to go a long way in determining how far Phoenix will actually go. Which, I think, we can all expect is a return to the Finals with a legitimate chance to win the whole thing. Suns by 8

The Suns are 10-1 ATS this season when revenging a straight-up loss against an opponent as a favorite.

The Suns are 21-9 ATS this season off a road win.

The Grizzlies are 7-1 ATS as a home dog this season.

The Grizzlies are 22-7 ATS the last three seasons off three straight unders or more.

PG: Chris Paul

SG: Devin Booker

SF: Mikal Bridges

PF: Jae Crowder

C: Deandre Ayton

PG: Tyus Jones

SG: Desmond Bane

SF: Dillon Brooks

PF: Jaren Jackson Jr.

C: Steven Adams

Suns: Cam Johnson (quad, out)

Grizzlies: Ja Morant (knee, out) 

Points: Devin Booker -- 26.4

Rebounds: Deandre Ayton -- 10.1

Assists: Chris Paul -- 10.7

Points: Ja Morant -- 27.6

Rebounds: Steven Adams -- 10.0

Assists: Ja Morant -- 6.7