The Brooklyn Nets are trying to get their second win in a row, while the Memphis Grizzlies are trying to shake off their recent loss. Who gets the win in Memphis? Catch the game live at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, October 25, 2022.
Away: Brooklyn Nets (1-1, 0-0 Away)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Kyrie Irving
- SG: Joe Harris
- SF: Kevin Durant
- PF: Ben Simmons
- C: Nic Claxton
Kevin Durant has been tearing it up on offense with 29.5 PPG in his first two games, and Kyrie Irving has upped his output to 22.5 PPG after scoring 30 in their recent victory against the Toronto Raptors.
With those two on the court, anything is possible, but the scoring drops off heavily after their two stars, with Nic Claxton (16.0 PPG) and Patty Mills (13.0 PPG) being the only other players to average double figures so far in this campaign.
The X-Factor will be Ben Simmons, who is now free to play defense and handle the ball without needing to score. His averages of 5.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 6.5 APG show that he can make an impact without attacking the basket, but his long-term fit with the roster still needs to be ironed out considering all of the time he’s missed.
Home: Memphis Grizzlies (2-1, 1-0 Home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Ja Morant
- SG: Desmond Bane
- SF: John Konchar
- PF: Santi Aldama
- C: Steven Adams
Ja Morant looks like he’s trying to follow up last year’s 2021-22 Most Improved Player award with a potential MVP this season. Morant is averaging 34.3 PPG and 7.0 APG while shooting 54.85% from the field and what is likely not a sustainable 57.1% from beyond the arc.
The Grizzlies have four other players averaging in double figures, and they’ll be trying to get back into the win column after getting embarrassed 137-96 in by the Mavericks in their last game. That loss pushed their average point differential to -10.4 for the season so far, and they have to prove that they’ll defend better against the Nets’ lethal scoring superstar duo.
PREDICTION:
Spread: The Grizzlies cover -1.5.
Over/Under: The over 229 hits.
