Darvin Ham’s LA Lakers are the latest side tasked with stopping the Memphis Grizzlies on their charge to the top of the Western Conference. Can they do it? Let’s take a look and at the same time, name our free NBA betting picks on the match.
After an appalling start to the 2022/23 season, the Lakers have improved somewhat in recent weeks. That said, an improvement from where the Lakers were wouldn’t have been difficult. Anyway, it’s one thing improving, but totally something else improving enough to take out the Grizzlies at the moment..
The Memphis franchise has been unstoppable in recent weeks, and their form has seen them surge up the betting to the point where they are sixth favorites to win the NBA Championship. They are also in the top three in the betting to win the Western Conference, and out of sight to win the Southwest Division at -400.
In the latest betting to win the 2023 NBA Championship, it’s still the Boston Celtics that are leading the way. The Celtics are just +400 to win Basketball’s biggest prize this season, and they are now starting to open up some clear daylight between themselves and the chasing pack.
Their closest rivals are the Milwaukee Bucks at +750, with the Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors next in the betting, all at +800. The Memphis Grizzlies are just behind that trio on +1000, with the LA Clippers next at +1400.
Despite their poor position in the table, and maybe rather bizarrely, the LA Lakers are +2500 to win the NBA Championship. More NBA betting can be found below, where we’ve put together an odds table using the prices from the best NHL betting sites.
| Betting to Win 2023 NBA Western Conference |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Golden State Warriors | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Denver Nuggets | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| LA Clippers | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | +1800 | +1800 | +1800 |
| Phoenix Suns | +2200 | +2200 | +2200 |
| LA Lakers | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Dallas Mavericks | +2800 | +2800 | +2800 |
| Miami Heat | +3300 | +3300 | +3300 |
| New York Knicks | +12500 | +10000 | +10000 |
The Lakers are in the bottom three of the Western Conference a full 12 wins behind the Denver Nuggets at the top of the conference. So far this season, they have won 20 and lost 25. Only the Spurs and the Rockets have worse records, and they’re miles behind everybody.
But in their last ten outings the Lakers are boasting a 6-4 record. And I say boasting because compared to their previous record this is great. They have lost four of their last five though. But prior to that, Darvin Ham’s side had gone on a five match winning streak at the turn of the year.
Yes, recent days have seen a return to pre Christmas form. But all the signs are that the Lakers are improving, albeit at a slow rate!
The Lakers most recent match was a five points loss to the Kings at home on Wednesday night. LeBron James’ 32 points wasn’t enough, and the Kings left the Crypto.com Arena with a 116-111 victory.
In a way the result against the Kings must pose more questions than answers for Darvin Ham. His team led by 11 points at the end of the 1st quarter. But by the end of the 2nd they were one point down. And by the end of the 3rd, they were eight points behind. In the end the Lakers 4th quarter fight back wasn’t enough to turn the match back in their favor.
This inconsistency throughout a match must leave coaches and fans bemused.
Inconsistency isn’t an accusation that can be thrown at the Memphis Grizzlies. That’s for sure. Their 115-114 win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday night was their 11th win in succession.
Yes, the win over Cleveland wasn’t their best and did require a comeback in the 4th quarter. But after destroying the Suns by 30 points, and the Pacers by 18 points over the weekend, Taylor Jenkins’ team were entitled to have an off day. And they still managed to win!
You have to go all the way back to Tuesday December 27th to find the last time the Grizzlies lost. That night the Suns rode into town and left the FedExForum with a 125-108 win.
Memphis are up to second in the Western Conference. Alongside the Nuggets, who lead the conference table and are on a winning streak of eight themselves, the two franchises have opened up a comfortable gap on the rest of the chasing pack.
It can come as no surprise to see that the Grizzlies are the betting favorites with BetOnline. The sports betting site has Memphis at -260 on the moneyline, with the Lakers at +220.
On the handicap, LA is getting a start of 6.5 points. With the advantage, the Lakers are -110, with the Grizzlies the same price starting from -6.5 points down. Finally, the points spread is set at 244, with both over and under at -110.
The Grizzlies have won by more than this spread in three of their last five matches. The Lakers have lost by the spread amount in two of their last five.
I’m not picking the Grizzlies at -260 on the moneyline. I think with the form of both teams, the Grizzlies to win on the handicap with BetOnline has to be the pick.
Don’t forget to check out our BetOnline sportsbook review for more great betting offers you can use on the NBA.
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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