Kings vs Grizzlies Pick, Preview & Betting Odds For Sunday, January 1st

Check out our free Kings vs Grizzlies pick and preview for this NBA game in Memphis. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this NBA matchup.

Kings vs Grizzlies NBA Pick & Preview

Sport: NBA
Teams: Sacramento Kings at Memphis Grizzlies
Where: Memphis at FedExForum
Date: Sunday, January 1st
Betting Odds MEM -4.5, SAC +158 | MEM -195 O/U 240.5

So far, the Kings have put together an overall record of 19-15, while going 18-15-1 vs the spread. Against the Grizzlies, the Kings are going for their 3rd straight win, posting an average scoring margin of 1.0 points per game in this stretch.

The Kings are coming off a 126-125 win over the Jazz. Although they came away with a straight up win, it was not enough to cover the spread as they entered as 3 point favorites. This was a highly contested matchup, as Sacramento was not able to extend their lead in the second half as they went into halftime with a 3 point lead. Leading the team in scoring was Kevin Huerter, as he contributed 30 points while hitting 66.7% of his shots.

The Grizzlies come into today’s matchup with an overall record of 22-13. So far, the team has gone 17-16-2 against the spread. In today’s game, Memphis will look to extend their 2 game winning streak. Over this stretch, they have an average scoring margin of 14.0 points.

In their previous game, the Grizzlies took down the Pelicans by a score of 116-101. Not only did they come away with a straight up win, but they also covered the spread as 6 point favorites. Memphis went on to win the game, as they led by 3 heading into halftime. Leading the team in scoring was Ja Morant, as he contributed 32 points while hitting 59.1% of his shots.

Head To Head Recap & Stats

I Last year, the Kings saw a drop in overall scoring when playing the Grizzlies, averaging 102.67 points per game. As for Sacramento, they actually improved their points per game numbers in head-to-head matchups, averaging 126.33 points per contest against the Grizzlies. In terms of betting, Memphis has an ATS record of 4-1 in the previous 5 matchups vs Sacramento. This mark has come on an average scoring margin of +16 points per game in favor of the Grizzlies. Over the course of these games, they averaged 228 points per game, leading a 3-2 over-under record.

Odds & Free Betting Analysis For This NBA Game

For the season, the Sacramento offense is the 2nd ranked unit in the NBA, at 118.3 points per contest. When looking at the Kings pace of play, they tend to play an up-tempo style of basketball. So far, the team is in the upper half of the NBA in possessions per game, averaging 101.5. Not only is the team playing at an up-tempo pace, but they have been able to pair this style with one of the better field goal percentages in the NBA at 49.0%.

Against the Grizzlies, the Kings will need a stronger defensive effort as they are ranked just 29th in points allowed.

On offense, De’Aaron Fox leads the Kings in scoring at 23.6 points per game, placing him 26th in the NBA. Overall, Fox has hit 50.3% of his shots while accounting for 19.9% of the team’s looks from the field. In today’s game, he will be working against a defensive unit that is 3rd in points allowed to point-guards. At 18.6 points per game, Domantas Sabonis is the 2nd leading scorer for the Kings. For the season, he is 22nd in the league in player efficiency rating, while posting a field goal percentage of 62.8%.

The Memphis offense will take the floor in today’s game with the league’s 8th ranked offense at 115.4 points per game. In terms of pace, the Grizzlies are on the top units in the NBA, averaging 100.7 possessions per game. If the Grizzlies offense is going to continue to produce at their current level, they would benefit from an improvement in their outside shooting. Currently, they are the 21st ranked team in 3-point shooting percentage.

Against the Kings, the Grizzlies will look to continue their strong defensive play. For the year, they are the 12th ranked unit at 109.93 points per game.

On offense, Ja Morant leads the Grizzlies in scoring at 27.0 points per game, placing him 15th in the NBA. Overall, Morant has hit 45.5% of his shots while accounting for 22.6% of the team’s looks from the field. In today’s game, he will be working against a defensive unit that is 13th in points allowed to point-guards. At 17.3 points per game, Dillon Brooks is the 2nd leading scorer for the Grizzlies. For the season, he is 264th in the league in player efficiency rating, while posting a field goal percentage of 41.2%.