Grizzlies vs Nuggets Prediction, Picks Today
Let's preview Friday night's game between the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies with our Grizzlies vs Nuggets prediction and betting picks today for Friday, October 27.
The Denver Nuggets got their season off to a strong start on Tuesday night with a 12-point win over the Lakers. They'll now look to pick the bones of a Grizzlies team that has lost four straight dating back to the preseason.
With a questionable offense and injuries mounting for Memphis, can Denver come up with the goods once more and start its season with two wins?
Let's get to our Nuggets vs. Grizzlies prediction and pick.
Pick: Nuggets -4.5 | Play to -5.5
The Nuggets' high-powered offense, which led them to their first championship a season ago, was on full display against the Lakers. Denver posted a 125.3 efficiency rating on that end, the second-best of any team in their opener, and was scorching hot from 3 (41.2%).
All told, the defending champs put up an impressive 119 points in a slow-paced game versus a team with excellent defensive personnel — a feat that shouldn't go unnoticed. Denver's offense looks every bit as good as it was a season ago, despite some key departures.
The defensive end was an adventure throughout last season, but got off to a better start on Opening Night. Some of that is surely due to the fact that it played a Lakers team which is averse to scoring, but the matchup gets even easier in the second game of the season.
It's worth noting, too, that the Nuggets ran with a very tight rotation. It was really just Reggie Jackson and Christian Braun who were used off the bench for big minutes, and Jackson was particularly effective with a +11 rating in 24 minutes. There are no injuries of note to report here, so we can expect the starters to once again get a ton of minutes.
With that, I expect a resounding win for the Nuggets. The Grizzlies are without Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke and Luke Kennard. And, of course, the suspended Ja Morant. With Marcus Smart taking over at point guard, there is a clear emphasis on defense for this team. That worked out decently in an losing effort against New Orleans, but the step up in offensive production here should make life hard on a team that can't score the ball.
Memphis played in a pace-up game and scored just 104 points, while the Nuggets played in a huge pace-down spot and put up 119.
Grizzlies vs Nuggets Picks, Odds
| Nuggets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -114 | 221.5 -110o / -110u | -210 |
| Grizzlies Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -108 | 221.5 -110o / -110u | +176 |
The Nuggets were a trustworthy team a season ago when laying points as they covered in 52% of games in which they were favored. That may not sound like all that great of an edge, but I'll stress again that Denver struggled mightily on the defensive end for stretches of the season. I don't anticipate that being an issue against Memphis.
This offense moved at a snail's pace in the preseason, which makes perfect sense when considering the guys on the floor.
With Adams, the Grizzlies were one of the best teams in the league on the glass, but in their opener, they grabbed just 45.1% of available rebounds. Denver was one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA a season ago and it struggled a bit on the glass against the Lakers, but they're also a solid rebounding group.
With some help from a weak Grizzlies offense and some extra boards, I expect the Nuggets to cover.
