Top-tier NBA teams meet for a cross-conference matchup in Cleveland on Thursday. The Memphis Grizzlies (32-19) visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (31-22) for a spotlight battle, with Memphis entering at 11-15 on the road and Cleveland boasting a 21-6 home record this season. Dylan Windler (ankle) is out for the Cavaliers. Steven Adams (knee) remains out for the Grizzlies, with the rest of the injury report to be determined later as they are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Cleveland. Caesars Sportsbook lists Cleveland as the 6-point home favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 223.5 in the latest Grizzlies vs. Cavaliers odds. Before locking in any Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past four-plus seasons. The model enters Week 16 of the 2022-23 NBA season on a stunning 49-23 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Grizzlies vs. Cavs and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Cavs vs. Grizzlies:
Grizzlies vs. Cavaliers spread: Cavaliers -6Grizzlies vs. Cavaliers over/under: 223.5 pointsGrizzlies vs. Cavaliers money line: Cavaliers -250, Grizzlies +205MEM: The Grizzlies are 4-3 against the spread with no restCLE: The Cavaliers are 17-9-1 against the spread in home gamesGrizzlies vs. Cavaliers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Why the Grizzlies can cover
Memphis is an excellent defensive team, allowing only 1.1 points per possession for the season and ranking in the top three of the NBA in defensive rating. The Grizzlies are No. 1 in field goal percentage allowed, and Memphis allows opponents to shoot only 51% on 2-point attempts. Memphis is in the top eight in turnover creation, with more than 15 takeaways per game, and the Grizzlies are near the top of the league in blocked shots and steals per game.
Memphis is also elite in points allowed in the paint, and the offensive end is friendly to the Grizzlies. No team creates more points in the paint on offense than Memphis, and the Grizzlies secure well over 30% of offensive rebound opportunities while producing more than 16 second-chance points per game. Memphis is also in the top quartile of the league in fast break points with more than 17 per game, and the Grizzlies take care of the ball (14% turnover rate) while generating more than 25 free throw attempts per contest.
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Cleveland’s offense is solid, particularly in the backcourt with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland each averaging more than 21 points per game on strong efficiency. The Cavaliers make their biggest strides on defense, however, with a top-two unit in the NBA in overall efficiency. Cleveland allows fewer than 1.1 points per possession, and the Cavaliers lead the NBA in assists allowed (22.6 per game) and second-chance points allowed (12.0 per game). The Cavaliers are in the top five in 2-point defense (52.4%) and free throw attempts allowed (22.4 per game), with top-10 marks in myriad categories.
Opponents shoot only 46.6% from the field against Cleveland, and the Cavaliers create 15.0 takeaways per game while securing more than 73% of available defensive rebounds. Cleveland’s interior stars, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, also hold opponents to only 45.9 points in the paint per game, and the Grizzlies are below-average in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage on offense this season.
How to make Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 227 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Cavs vs. Grizzlies? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
