Bucks vs Grizzlies Prediction, Picks & Props: Will Giannis outduel Ja at FedExForum?

Written by: Eddie Griffin

Last Update: Thu Dec 15, 2022, 10:23 am ET

Read Time: 4 minutes

Bucks vs Grizzlies Prediction, Picks & Props: Will Giannis outduel Ja at FedExForum? cover

nba

FINAL

Milwaukee Bucks

101

Memphis Grizzlies

142

See Picks & Statistics For The Game

Two of the biggest stars in the NBA will face off at FedExForum in Memphis as Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks visit Ja Morant and the Grizzlies.

Both teams enter tonight's matchup in the top two in their respective conferences. The Bucks (20-7, 7-4 away, 15-10-2 ATS, 12-15-0 O/U) are a game behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference, while the Grizzlies (18-9, 12-2 home, 13-13-1 ATS, 14-13-0 O/U) are tied with the New Orleans Pelicans for the best record in the Western Conference.

Both teams are also in the same form at the moment, having won eight of ten games, with Memphis coming into tonight with six straight wins.

Which team do we think will make it nine wins in 11 games? Read on for our Bucks vs Grizzlies prediction, as well as our betting picks and analysis for tonight's tilt.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Memphis Grizzlies Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 10:20 am ET. This article may also include odds from our other recommended legal sports betting sites.

Spread

Milwaukee Bucks +2 (-110)
Memphis Grizzlies -2 (-110)

Over/Under

Over 226.5 (-110)
Under 226.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Milwaukee Bucks +106
Memphis Grizzlies -124

Will the Bucks Continue to Excel Against Quality Competition?

Tonight's game is arguably the biggest challenge of the season for the Bucks, and it is good prep for an upcoming stretch that will see them visit the Pelicans (12/19), Cavaliers (12/21), Nets (12/23), and Celtics (Christmas Day).

Record wise, their next five road games are against the top two teams in the West and the other three teams that, along with themselves, make up the top four in the East.

That is quite the stretch to navigate as the end of the year approaches, to put it mildly.

This isn't to say that the Bucks haven't been challenged to this point though, and their success in their most challenging games is reason to believe that they can handle themselves just fine in this stretch.

In fact, Milwaukee is 8-1 SU against teams that currently have a winning record.

Results for the Milwaukee Bucks Versus Teams Currently Above .500 (As of December 14th's Games)

Philadelphia 76ers (10/20 – away): won 90-88
Brooklyn Nets (10/26 – home): won 110-99
New York Knicks (10/28 – home): won 119-108
Cleveland Cavaliers (11/16 – home): won 113-98
Philadelphia 76ers (11/18 – away): lost 110-102
Portland Trail Blazers (11/21 – home): won 119-111
Cleveland Cavaliers (11/25 – home): won 117-102
New York Knicks (11/30 – away): won 109-103
Sacramento Kings (12/7 – home): won 126-113

And this doesn't include games against the likes of the Warriors (14-15) and Mavericks (14-14), who were both over .500 earlier this week before losses and have two of the top NBA MVP candidates in Luka Doncic (third at BetOnline at +350) and Stephen Curry (fifth at BetOnline at +1700).

Milwaukee Bucks vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction and Picks

Bucks vs Grizzlies Prediction: Bucks to win

Bucks vs Grizzlies Picks: Bucks ML (Best Value: +110 at Bovada Sportsbook & BetMGM)

All that said, Memphis is fantastic at home and enter tonight's action tied with Cleveland for the best home record in the NBA. To date, their only home losses are to the Celtics, a 109-106 loss on November 7, and to the Kings, a 113-109 loss on November 22.

But even though the Grizzlies are favored at home tonight–and they have every reason to be–I'm backing the Bucks to continue their success against the league's better teams. I'm taking the cover as well, but I expect them to win outright.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Memphis Grizzlies Player Props

Bucks vs Grizzlies Player Prop Picks: Ja Morant over 27.5 points & Ja Morant over 41.5 points + rebounds + assists

Ja's stats are more well-rounded in the Grizzlies' wins than they are in their losses. In losses, his scoring stands out above anything else.

He's played in 16 Memphis wins this season, and in those games, he has averaged 26.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 8.7 APG.

In the six losses that he has played in, he is averaging 30.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 5.5 APG. And he is shooting better in losses (50.0% from the field and 37.9% from three) than he is in wins (44.3% from the field and 34.6% from three).

Of his eight 30+ point performances this season, four have come in losses.

Notably, his first three 30+ point performances this season came in wins, so that means that four of the last five have come in losses, including the home losses against the Celtics (30 points, eight rebounds, nine assists) and Kings (34 points, seven rebounds, six assists).

Bovada Sportsbook and BetUS offer the best odds for his points over, with the latter offering better odds for his points + rebounds + assists over. But if you want to back him to score 30+ points, you can do so at plus odds at BetOnline.