Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies NBA Picks, Odds, Predictions 10/24/2021

The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Memphis Grizzlies at the Staples Center on Sunday night.

The Memphis Grizzlies have hit the ground running this season as they will be aiming for a third victory after last night’s 120-114 road win over the Clippers. Ja Morant led the team with 28 points and eight assists on 10 of 19 shooting, De’Anthony Melton added 22 points on nine of 16 shooting, Jaren Jackson Jr added 21 points, Desmond Bane scored 19 points while Steven Adams chipped in with 17 points. As a team, the Grizzlies shot 46 percent from the field and 15 of 36 from the 3-point line as they struggled in the first quarter and fell behind by 13 points early, before pouring in 72 points in the second and third quarters combined to lead by as many as 16 points. The Clippers hung around and got to within two points late in the fourth quarter, but the Grizzlies did enough to escape with the win.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers will be hoping to avoid a dreaded third straight loss to start the season after getting stopped by the Suns in a 115-105 home loss on Friday. LeBron James led the team with 25 points and five assists, Anthony Davis added 22 points with 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks, Carmelo Anthony scored 16 points off the bench while Russell Westbrook chipped in with 15 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. As a team, the Lakers shot just 39 percent from the field and 15 of 34 from the 3-point line as they came out flat in this one and got absolutely thrashed, falling behind by as many as 32 points before pouring in 38 points in the fourth quarter to keep the final scores respectable.

Looking at the betting trends, the Grizzlies are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as a road underdog, 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on zero days’ rest and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games against a team below .400. The Lakers are 0-4 ATS in their last four home games, 0-5 ATS in their last five games against a team with a winning record and 2-6 ATS in their last eight Sunday games.

Head to head, the under is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings overall and the Grizzlies are 2-7 ATS in the last nine meetings in Los Angeles. It’s always tough to beat both LA teams in two nights, but the Grizzlies have looked great so far this season and they look like a genuine threat to upset a shaky Lakers team who have yet to find their groove as a new lineup. The Lakers are bound to turn things around sooner rather than later, but after seeing how they struggled against the Suns on Friday, I have to take the Grizzlies with the points despite them playing on zero days’ rest.