NBA Handicapping Predictions – Clippers vs Grizzlies
THE STORY: The Memphis Grizzlies barely edged the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage, putting them in position to host Sunday’s winner-take-all Game 7.
Venue/ Stadium: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
TV: TV ABC
Time/Date: 1:00 PM ET, May 13, 2012
NCAA Odds From: Bovada
Moneyline: OFF
Spread (ATS): Grizzlies -7.5
Over/Under: 176.5
The Grizzlies have clawed back from a 3-1 series deficit with two straight victories, including Friday’s night’s 90-88 win in Los Angeles over the hobbled Clippers. Memphis has won two of three at home in the series, but blew a 27-point lead in Game 1 and frittered away most of a 24-point edge in Game 5.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS: Los Angeles has displayed amazing resiliency in Memphis, but that will be tested due to the injuries sustained by All-Stars Chris Paul (hip) and Blake Griffin (knee) in Game 5. Both players were clearly limited Friday and Paul, considered one of the game’s great closers, was a non-factor with one point in the fourth quarter. “I couldn’t move as much as I like to,” Paul admitted. Backup point guard Eric Bledsoe and reserve forward Kenyon Martin combined to score 24 points in Game 6, but Nick Young has been missing in action since 19- and 11-point efforts in the first two games. He has a combined two points on 1-for-8 shooting in the last two contests. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Leading scorer Rudy Gay has a combined 27 points in the last two games but Memphis has used the same blueprint to twice stave off elimination. The tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph has overpowered the Clippers in the back-to-back wins. The 7-foot-1 Gasol was all but invisible during a three-game stretch before bouncing back with consecutive 23-point outings. Randolph, the hero of last season’s playoff run, submitted his second straight double-double with 18 points and 16 boards in Game 6. After having missed 2 1/2 months due to knee surgery, he was less than sympathetic about Los Angeles’ injuries. ”Everybody’s hurting. My knee is hurting. I ain’t looking for no excuse,” Randolph said.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Only eight teams in NBA history have rebounded from a 3-1 deficit to win a seven-game series.
2. Since 1948, the home team has prevailed in Game 7 a whopping 80 percent of the time.
3. Memphis has won 13 of its last 14 home games, the only loss coming when it squandered the 27-point lead in Game 1.
PREDICTION: Grizzlies 96, Clippers 91.
