Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction 12-18-23 NBA Picks

The Memphis Grizzlies travel to the Paycom Center to battle the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. Here’s a Grizzlies vs Thunder prediction.

Memphis Grizzlies 

The Memphis Grizzlies have been in a slump as they’ve lost five of their last six games overall and they will be hoping to arrest a four-game slide after getting beaten by the Rockets in a 103-96 loss on Friday. Desmond Bane led the team with 28 points and 13 rebounds on 11 of 25 shooting, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22 points while Santi Aldama chipped in with 11 points off the bench. As a team, the Grizzlies shot just 40 percent from the field and 11 of 40 from the 3-point line as they got off to a great start, holding the Rockets to just 14 points in the first quarter to take an early 17-point lead, but it was one-way traffic going the other way from that point onwards. The Grizzlies just couldn’t get any offense from anyone other than Bane and Jackson Jr and Derrick Rose scored just three points before leaving after just nine minutes with hamstring soreness. 

Memphis Grizzlies Team Facts

• The Grizzlies have lost each of their last eight games as underdogs against Northwest Division opponents.
• The Grizzlies have failed to cover the spread in 11 of their last 12 road games against Northwest Division opponents.
• Nine of the Grizzlies’ last 11 road games against Northwest Division opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.

Oklahoma City Thunder 

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been in great shape as they’ve won five of their last seven games overall and they will be eager to keep it going after outlasting the Nuggets in a 118-117 road win on Saturday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 25 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Jalen Williams added 24 points while Chet Holmgren chipped in with 17 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks. As a team, the Thunder shot 51 percent from the field and seven of 21 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in trouble when they trailed by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter, before they closed the final 5:15 on a 21-10 run capped by the game-winner from Gilgeous-Alexander with just 1.1 seconds left on the clock. 

Oklahoma City Thunder Team Facts

• The Thunder have won each of their last seven night games at Paycom Center.
• The Thunder have covered the spread in eight of their last nine home games against Southwest Division opponents that held a losing record.
• Each of the Thunder’s last six games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back have gone UNDER the total points line.

Grizzlies vs Thunder prediction

The Grizzlies are still missing a bunch of players and now they can add Derrick Rose to the list with his hamstring issue, while the Thunder are coming in with a full squad again. The Grizzlies showed signs of life a couple of weeks ago, but they’ve gone cold again with four straight losses and I don’t like their chances against this in-form Thunder squad who just beat the Nuggets in their last outing. The early money has been on the Thunder which pushed the line out to double digits and I have to agree with the early movement. I think the Thunder win this one and win comfortably at home behind another big game from Gilgeous-Alexander.