Catch this game live on Sunday, October 23, at 8:30 am, Manila time

Away: Memphis Grizzlies (2-0/1-0 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Ja Morant
  • SG: Desmond Bane
  • SF: Dillon Brooks (probable)
  • PF: Santi Aldama
  • C: Steven Adams

Ja Morant is feeling unstoppable right now and that is bad news for the rest of the league. Morant exploded for 49 points in Memphis’ 129-122 road win against the Houston Rockets. Morant, who scored 34 points in the Grizzlies’ season-opening 115-112 win over the New York Knicks last Thursday is clearly on a mission as Memphis’ biggest weapon. But that is not to say that the Grizzlies are just all about the Ja Show. 

Memphis’ lights-out outside shooting is becoming more and more of a headache for the rest of the league. The Grizzlies went 19/42 from deep in the Houston game. The incorporation of Santi Aldama in Memphis’ starting unit is working thus far, as his abilities to stretch the floor as a spot-up shooter, put the ball on the floor, and use his size to snare rebounds fit the Grizzlies perfectly.

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Home: Dallas Mavericks (0-1/0-0 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Luka Doncic
  • SG: Tim Hardaway Jr.
  • SF: Reggie Bullock
  • PF: Reggie Bullock
  • C: JaVale McGee

Dallas will just have to move on after that agonizingly disappointing 107-105 road loss to the Phoenix Suns last Thursday. The Mavericks had a lead of as many as 21 points in that contest, but they simply just couldn’t hold on to it. The good thing for the Mavs is that it’s at least better to lose in that manner early in the season and learn from that early. They also learned that Christian Wood is going to be a fun piece for them. 

The Mavs believed that the moment they got him in the offseason, but it must have still hit them differently to see him in an actual regular season game chipping in 25 points with four 3-pointers in 24 minutes off the bench against the Suns. Luka Doncic scored 35 points in Dallas’ season opener and went 13/13 from the foul line though he was just 2/10 from deep. It can get better for him against the Grizzlies, whom Dallas beat three out of four times last season. Plus, the Grizzlies might not have all the energy it needs to stop Dallas, with the Grizzlies playing the second leg of a back-to-back.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Mavs (-5.5) cover.

Over/Under: The total (219.5) hits the Under.