Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs 1/26/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Live Stream

Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs Matchup Preview (1/26/22)

The San Antonio Spurs host the surprising Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday night. The Grizzlies cooled off from their 11 game winning streak and have since gone 2-3. A large portion of their recent slide can be blamed on injuries as the Grizzlies have seen key starters miss the past few games. In their last game, they lost 104-91 to the Mavericks despite Ja Morant’s heroic performance of 35 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. Luka Doncic could not be stopped; he went on to produce 37 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. The Grizzlies are smashing pre-season predictions and currently sit at 3rd in the tough Western Conference. The majority of their success can be attributed to MVP-candidate Ja Morant, who is averaging 25.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 6.9 APG. Morant’s teammates have blossomed this season, though, on the way to perfectly complementing Morant’s game. Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke, Tyus Jones, and Kyle Anderson are all game time decisions, while Dillon Brooks remains out. The return of these players would be a huge boost for a Grizzlies team that is fighting to retain their current home court status. 

The Spurs season is quickly becoming a lost one, but they have seen exceptional development from Dejounte Murray. He is averaging 19.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 9.0 APG while playing stellar defense (2.0 SPG). Against the 76ers on Sunday, the Spurs lost a close contest 115-109 where Murray barely missed a triple-double with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 12 assists. Starting center Jakob Poeltl played an excellent game, contributing 25 points and 10 rebounds. Unfortunately, like many teams recently, Joel Embiid could not be stopped. Embiid poured in 38 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists on 16/32 shooting. The Spurs will likely be a trade deadline seller and focus on development the rest of the season. Thaddeus Young is an interesting trade piece who would entice multiple offers from contenders. He can fit into any system and has the veteran experience needed to not disrupt a team’s culture. For this matchup, Keita Bates-Diop is expected to be out, while Zach Collins is questionable. The former lottery pick Collins has struggled to translate his talent from college to the NBA, but he is only 24-years-old. The Spurs will closely monitor his progress throughout the season with the hope that he will become the unicorn (7’0” perimeter shooter) he was envisioned to be.

Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs Betting Odds

The Grizzlies won 118-105 on December 31st in their only previous matchup on the season. Morant dropped 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists on an efficient 12/18 shooting. The Spurs were without Dejounte Murray, so offense was hard to come by. Jakob Poeltl chipped in 15 points and 7 rebounds, but the Spurs did not get much production from their players. Keldon Johnson scored 6 points on a horrific 2/12 shooting split. The Grizzlies will potentially miss key players, so the game will likely be closer than last contest. I would go with the Grizzlies in a tight, hard-fought game. The game will be centered around the point guard duel between Morant and Murray. Since I expect the game to be so close, betting a spread larger than -3.5 Grizzlies is not appealing to me. If the Grizzlies are at full strength, then I would be more confident in betting the Grizzlies. However, the reality of injuries makes this game especially murky.

TV Schedule

Date: 1/26/22
Time: 8:30 PM ET
Arena: AT&T Center – San Antonio, TX
Channel: NBA League Pass 

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Memphis Grizzlies Starting Lineup

PG: Ja Morant
SG: Desmond Bane
SF: Ziaire Williams
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr
C: Steven Adams

Memphis Grizzlies Analysis

Before the season started, the Grizzlies over/under win total was set at 41.5 wins. They currently have 32 wins and are on pace for 53. Ja Morant’s quick ascent to superstardom forecasts the Grizzlies as a tough team to beat over a seven game series. Morant’s all-around game and boundless energy is infectious for a young squad looking to build upon their playoff berth last season. While Morant has rightfully been receiving the bulk of the attention, the Grizzlies have seen other young players develop rapidly. Desmond Bane has gone from a mere sharpshooter into a 3&D monster capable of taking players off the dribble. In his second season, Bane is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. 

Although Bane has blossomed, Jaren Jackson Jr continues to store untapped potential. He has improved his ri protection, but he still fouls too much and does not provide much on offense. While he can be described as extremely versatile, he is more average than elite at different offensive skill sets. The potential is there, but Jackson Jr has a long way to go in order to justify his selection as the 4th overall pick in a loaded 2018 class. Players drafted within 10 spots after Jackson Jr include Trae Young (5th), Collin Sexton (8th), Mikal Bridges (10th), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th), Miles Bridges (12th), and Michael Porter Jr (14th). Jaren Jackson Jr is still only 22-years-old, so there is plenty of time for his development. If he can develop a better post game and show more physicality on the boards, he can become a quasi-Bam Adebayo. 

San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineup

PG: Dejounte Murray
SG: Derrick White
SF: Doug McDermott
PF: Keldon Johnson
C: Jakob Poeltl

San Antonio Spurs Analysis

The season quickly devolved for the Spurs after a poor start, and they never improved significantly throughout the season. Dejounte Murray has shown the Spurs he can be their main guard of the future, but the rest of the roster is hazy. They have a keeper in Devin Vassell, who has shown similar glimpses that Kawhi Leonard did in his first two years on the Spurs. Vassell is a 3&D player capable of dominating on either end of the floor. He is a promising candidate to be the Spurs future shooting guard or small forward. At 6’5” and 200 pounds, Vassell can easily switch on the perimeter while disrupting plays with active hands. The Spurs are also excited about Keldon Johnson, who can play either forward spot. Johnson is scoring 14.9 PPG on a 46.2 FG% and 44.3 3PT%. Although he is only 6’6”, he has the strength to guard power forwards, especially in this small-ball era. 

The backcourt for the Spurs is loaded with young talent and veterans. The frontcourt, however, needs an immediate upgrade if the Spurs want to compete against Western Conference foes Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, Deandre Ayton, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, etc. The Spurs have a decent center in Jakob Poeltl, but he is more suited to dominate opposing benches. Poeltl is an underrated rim protector, but he is simply not talented enough to compete with the mentioned names. If he is moved to the bench unit, Poeltl would feast on both ends against inferior competition. A frontcourt renovation would do wonders for a franchise used to starting legends David Robinson and Tim Duncan. 

Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs Daily Fantasy Picks

Not picking Ja Morant right now is lunacy. Morant’s brilliance has only been magnified by recent injuries. Morant has scored 30+ points in three straight games and will continue that trend. Murray is a tough defender, but no defender would dissuade me from picking Morant right now. I also am forced to pick Dejounte Murray, who is also scorching the NBA. He has a triple-double in two of his last three games, and he was one rebound away in the game he did not record one. Although Morant is an offensive force, he is not an elite defender yet. Murray should impose his will on the Grizzlies, regardless of the end result. Look for this game to feature a special duel between Morant and Murray. Apart from those two, I like the cheaper Keldon Johnson. He is a consistent performer with double digit scoring in his last eight consecutive games. Johnson will not score 35 points, but he is a solid option at his price tag.