NBA Playoffs: Memphis @ Golden State Game 3 Preview

The Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors are putting on an intense series and we are only through two games.

The series shifts sites to the Chase Center on the San Francisco Bay for Game 3. The series is tied 1-1 with Golden State winning the first game on the road and the Grizz winning Game 2 behind 47 points from Ja Morant.

Here is what you need to know before wagering on Game 3 in what we expect to be another classic.

Game Info:

Saturday, May 7
8:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Odds

The Warriors are -6.5 point favorites on the spread to win Saturday and -255 on the moneyline. The Grizzlies are +215 underdogs to win outright and the Total Points Over/Under is 226.5.

Matchup History

Memphis is 3-2 in the last five meetings with the Warriors and 4-1 ATS. The Grizzlies also ousted the Warriors in overtime at Golden State in the 2021 Play-In Tournament. Golden State was notably without Klay Thompson.

The overall matchup history between these teams is very evenly matched. The Warriors have a 51-48 edge all time. Recently, the Grizz have had the upper hand, winning three of four meetings this regular season.

The Series so far

The Warriors were not quite their old selves in Game 1 but it was enough to squeak out a 117-116 win on the road. Steph Curry put up 24 points on 5-12 shooting from three. Thompson chipped in 15 and Andrew Wiggins had an efficient 17 points.

Most importantly, the Warriors won the game on the glass and in the paint while Draymond Green was ejected and missed a majority of the game.

While Game 1 was not the Warriors’ best, Game 2 was significantly worse. Curry and Thompson could not dial it in from deep, finishing a combined 5-23. The team combined for just more than 18-percent beyond the arc. Meanwhile Morant put Memphis on his back with 47 points, 8 boards and 8 assists. The Grizzlies also shot 95-percent from the line, but they were still slightly outrebounded and heavily punished in the paint.

So what is the takeaway?

The Warriors have been average at best and still stole home-court advantage. The Grizzlies needed a well below average performance from Steph and Klay while getting a monstrous game from Morant to win Game 2.

For a perimeter oriented team, Golden State is crushing Memphis down low. Steven Adams is still sidelined with COVID-19 which has been a huge blow to the Grizzlies frontcourt, although he was a DNP late in the season as well.

Overall this series smells like it will swing toward the Warriors, but we cannot quite discount the heroics of Morant or the brilliance of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. this postseason. At +6.5, we like the Grizzlies to make Game 3 another close contest with the Warriors just hanging on enough for a win. It will take much more from Steph, Klay and the rest to find any comfort against a gritty Grizzlies team.