NBA Picks: San Antonio at Memphis
Written by Greg Waters
Tue, 1 Mar 2011
Category sportsbook
Feedback Rating - no votes
The San Antonio Spurs put the NBA's best record on the line tonight when they stop in Memphis to face the Grizzlies for the second-half of a home-and-home.
San Antonio (49-10) took the first part of the series 95-88 Sunday but Tony Parker strained his calf muscle fighting for the ball in the second quarter and the prognosis doesn't look good. Parker could miss the entire month of March.
It was San Antonio's third straight win straight-up but their fourth consecutive loss against the spread and we're already seeing the impact Parker's injury has had with online sportsbooks.
When sportsbooks first posted for this game the Spurs were listed as a 1-point favorite but bettors immediately jumped on the Grizzlies and this line currently sits at Memphis (-1.5). Tim Duncan (ankle) also suffered a minor injury in Sunday's win and is listed as day-to-day.
San Antonio has been an underdog just once in their past 10 games, Feb. 17 at Chicago (-2), and the Spurs lost 109-99.
CHOPPING WOOD
Memphis has covered the spread three-straight times vs. the Spurs since April 9, 2010, but the pointspreads for these three matchups was much different than today. All three games were in Texas, mind you, but the lines were 10.5, 11.5 and 8.5 on Sunday.
San Antonio won its most recent trip to Memphis, 102-92 in March of 2010, and the Grizzlies were 1-point favorites in that matchup as well, but the Grizzlies are 20-8 SU at home this year and have come on strong in the second-half of the year.
The Grizzlies have won eight of their past nine on home court and the only loss was to the Los Angeles Lakers (Feb. 7).
PREDICTION
Motivation for a team whose leader has fallen can often be enough to carry that club for a win or two as they overcompensate for the loss but in this case, incentive for Memphis could be too much. Memphis is in eighth place in the West, one game back of Portland and just a half-game ahead of the surging Phoenix Suns. Look for the home swagger to continue tonight and for Memphis to even the series.
Pick: Take the Grizzlies
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