27.01.2023

Grizzlies @ Timberwolves Game Preview and Prop Pick

The Memphis Grizzlies will be playing in their fifth straight road game tonight as they head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves. We’ll preview the game before breaking down my best prop play for the game.

Game Preview

Heading into the Shannon Sharpe incident, the Grizzlies had won 11 straight games, but since then, they have lost four consecutive games. The Grizzlies' defense had been one of the more impressive units in the league over their win streak, but during their losing slide, Memphis has allowed 122 or more points in three of those four games.

Over the last five games, opposing teams are shooting 48.4% from the field against the Grizzlies, and their NET rating of -7.4 ranks 26th in the league. A problem recently on the defensive end has been their transition defense. Memphis allowed an average of 16.8 fastbreak points and 19.2 points off turnovers over their last five games.

The Grizzlies' offense has also fallen into a cold spell recently as well. Memphis is ranked 28th in the league in field goal percentage and 25th in three-point percentage during that stretch. On the season, Memphis is 2nd in the league in field goals made per game, but over their last five, they are 19th.

This is a rough patch in the Grizzlies' schedule, and tonight is no walk in the park either. Minnesota has stepped it up on the defensive end over the past five games, ranking 8th in the league in defensive efficiency. The Timberwolves are 3-2 in their last five games, but they were able to hold the Pelicans to just 102 points in their most recent win.

Minnesota has continued to be a streaky offensive team into this part of the season, and over their last five games, they were an average team in terms of shooting percentage. The Timberwolves were 15th in field goal percentage and 12th in three-point shooting percentage, but we’ll see if they can take advantage of a worn-down Memphis defense.

Prop Pick for the Game

For my prop play in this one, I’ll be targeting Kyle Anderson Over 4.5 assists at (+100). Over the last ten games, Anderson is averaging 5.3 assists per game, and he has gone over his prop total in eight of those games. The point forward will be taking on a Grizzlies team tonight that is allowing the second-most assists per game over the last five games.

In the Grizzlies' most recent game, they allowed the Warriors to dish out 33 assists, which bodes well for Minnesota and Anderson since the Timberwolves are 13th in the league this season in average assists per game. Anderson is averaging slightly above 27 minutes per game over his last ten games, which will give him ample time on the floor to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Anderson spent the last four years of his career with Memphis, and I expect him to put up big numbers across the board against his former team.