San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 1/9/2023

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Venue: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN

Where to watch: BSSE-MEM, BSSW-SA

DraftKings: Check back later

FanDuel: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Spurs: 13-27

Grizzlies: 25-13

Spurs: lost 121-116 vs. Celtics

Grizzlies: won 123-118 vs. Jazz

Get ready for a fun back-to-back between the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies this week with both games at FedEx Forum. If you’re hoping for a double sweep, that might be the case with the Spurs losing four of their last five. But if you’re thinking the Spurs have a chance to cover, you might have a chance at that with the Spurs covering four of their last five.

San Antonio is coming off a hard-fought 121-116 loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday. Call it Boston taking the opponent lightly or maybe that team playing hard for Gregg Popovich, but the Spurs have been making things tough on the competition as of late. They covered against Dallas, New York, and Boston. The only one they failed to cover was losing by 36 to Brooklyn, but alas that’s to be expected.

The Spurs are going to kill you with balance as best they can. They had eight players reach double figures led by 18 each from Zach Collins, Tre Jones and Josh Richardson. They just didn’t have enough firepower to contain Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They combined for 63 points, by the way.

The Spurs are just trying to not collapse to the point where it seems like they’re tanking, but obviously look like they’re tanking in this situation. San Antonio is just 19-21 against the spread this season. The fact they’re 13-27 straight up doesn’t bode well.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have won six straight and have gone 5-1 against the spread in that stretch. They’re coming off a 123-118 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday but failed to cover as 5.5-point favorites. Yes, that’s the lone failure to cover in that stretch.

Memphis was able to get the win without Ja Morant, who sat out with a thigh injury. He’s listed as questionable for this game, but Memphis got a ton of productions from Desmond Bane with 24 points, Tyus Jones with 21 in place of Morant, and Jaren Jackson Jr. with 19 points and five blocks. Once again, the Defensive Player of the Year may be knocking on his door at some point.

The Grizzlies are, arguably, the best team in the Western Conference right now and have been playing like it. Right now, it’s a two-team race between them and the Denver Nuggets while there are other teams that are in the middle of the pack, the Grizzlies are probably one of the deeper teams in the league that can handle losing its superstar point guard, only to get production like this.

Not taking anything away with how well the Spurs are playing right now against the spread, but the Grizzlies are too deep and have the ability to win both of these games without Morant if he’s not needed. Grizzlies 112, Spurs 100

Spurs are 11-3 ATS after non-conference games this season.

Spurs are 2-8 ATS after revenging a loss against an opponent this season.

Grizzlies are 22-6 ATS in January the last 3 seasons.

Grizzlies are 64-38 ATS at home the last 3 seasons.

PG: Tre Jones

SG: Romeo Langford

SF: Keldon Johnson 

PF: Jeremy Sochan

C: Zach Collins

PG: Tyus Jones

SG: Desmond Bane

SF: Dillon Brooks

PF: Jaren Jackson Jr.

C: Steven Adams

Spurs: Keldon Johnson (hamstring, questionable), Jakob Poeltl (Achilles, probable)

Grizzlies: Ja Morant (thigh, questionable), Brandon Clarke (hip, out), Steven Adams (day-to-day)

Points: Keldon Johnson – 21.2

Rebounds: Jakob Poeltl – 9.5

Assists: Tre Jones – 6.4

Points: Ja Morant – 27.2

Rebounds: Steven Adams – 11.2

Assists: Ja Morant – 8.0