Monday, May 21st, 2012
The Memphis Grizzlies get a raw deal from the NBA when they are forced in a quick turnaround in a game 1 of a best of 7 Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon.
Tip off time from Oklahoma City is scheduled for ridiculous 1PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by ABC.
Memphis tipped off game 6 against San Antonio at 9PM Eastern Time on Friday night. A total shame from the NBA league office as it is totally unfair to the Grizzlies.
The point spread opened up in game 1 of this best of 7 NBA playoff series with the home team Oklahoma City Thunder lined as a –6 1/2 point favorite with an over under of 198 points.
Early money has not moved this point spread as the Oklahoma City Thunder is now favored by -6 ½ points.
The total has moved down to 197 points.
Oklahoma City Thunder money line gamblers will lay –300 odds with the road underdog Memphis Grizzlies bringing back +250 odds to earn the upset win without the aid of points on their side.
These two NBA clubs have met four times this regular season with the Memphis Grizzlies winning three of the four games.
The teams split in their two games played at Oklahoma City.
They first met in Oklahoma on January 8th and it was the Thunder with the 109-100 home victory against the Memphis Grizzlies as a -6 ½ point betting favorite. The game landed over the total of 203 ½ points.
OKC shot 47.3% in their win and 4 of 14 from the three point line. The club did a great job of getting to the free throw line as they made 35 of their 42 shots.
The Thunder out rebounded the Grizzlies by a 58-52 margin.
Kevin Durant had a solid game with 40 points on 13 of 24 shooting and 13 of 14 from the free throw line plus 8 rebounds.
Guard Russell Westbrook had 22 points and 11 assists with a perfect night at the free throw line at 10 of 10 conversions.
Memphis shot 43% from the field in the loss. They gave away the game missing 1 of 15 from the three point line and 11 of 30 shots from the free throw line.
Zach Randolph led the club with 27 points and 16 rebounds on 12 of 21 shooting from the floor.
Mike Conley had 10 points but on just 3 of 10 from the floor.
Their second meeting at OKC took place a month later and it was the Grizzlies with the 105-101 overtime victory against the Thunder as a +7 ½ point betting underdog. The game played over the total of 204 ½ points.
After falling behind by 10 points at the half the Grizzlies forced overtime and were aided as they outscored the Thunder 30-17 in the third quarter.
Memphis hit on 45.7% in the win and connected on 2 of 5 from the three point line. The team connected on 29 of 39 from the free throw line.
The Grizzlies survived after getting crushed by the Thunder on the glass by a 68-44 margin.
Zach Randolph went off for 31 points and 14 rebounds on 11 of 19 shooting from the floor.
Guard Tony Allen had 27 points on 9 of 12 shooting plus 9 of 12 from the charity stripe.
The Grizzlies bench contributed with only 8 points.
Oklahoma City shot just 41.2% from the field and 7 of 19 from the three point line.
The Thunder was extremely sloppy with 23 turnovers with 8 coming from guard Russell Westbrook.
Kevin Durant led the club 31 points and 10 boards on 12 of 25 shooting.
Russell Westbrook had 21 points and 11 assists with 7 of 15 from the floor.
Serge Ibaka had a good night on the glass as he pulled down 14 rebounds in 32 minutes played.
The Memphis Grizzlies qualified for the Western conference semifinals as the 8th seed in the west and a victory in 6 games against the 1st seeded San Antonio Spurs.
Memphis averages 99.9 points per game and hits on 47.1% of their shots. The club connects on just 33.4% of their threes and 75% of their free throws.
On defense the Grizzlies give up 97.6 points a game and 45.7% shooting. Their opponents connect on 36.9% from the three point line.
The team was extremely efficient in their first round playoff series hitting on 47.5% from the field against the top seeded San Antonio Spurs.
Zach Randolph has been the teams go to man in this post season. He has come up big in spots in the fourth quarter against a veteran San Antonio Spurs team.
Randolph led the Grizzlies with 21.5 points per game average in the playoffs. He shot very well hitting on 50% from the floor.
He has been very good against OKC this season with 26.5 points and 13 rebounds per game average in their four regular season games.
Point guard Mike Conley leads the club in assists in the playoffs with over 6 per game. He is second in scoring during this postseason with 14.3 points per game average.
He is right around those numbers versus the Thunder on the year.
Big man Marc Gasol has been solid down low working with Randolph. He is third in the team in points per game with 14.2 and leads the club in rebounds with 12.3 in this year’s playoffs.
He has shot the ball well at 58% from the field this regular season against Oklahoma City. He has only averaged 7 boards per game in those contests.
Off the bench O.J. Mayo has averaged 9 points per game and has hit on 50% from the three point line in the post season.
Mayo was only 28.6% from three against OKC this year.
Oklahoma City qualified for the second round of the NBA playoffs following a series win in five games against the Denver Nuggets.
The Thunder qualified for the playoffs as a fourth seed in the west.
The club averages 104.8 points per game and connects on 46.4% of their shots. They hit on 34.7% from three and are the top free throw shooting team in the league at 82.4%.
On defense OKC allows 101 points per game and 45.8% shooting from the floor. Opponents connect on 36.1% shooting from three against them.
The team shot just 42% from the field against a very good Denver Nuggets club in their opening round playoff series.
Kevin Durant has led the Thunder in the playoffs with 32.4 points per game average. He has shot 47.1% from the field and has grabbed an average of 5 ½ boards per game.
In his four regular season games against the Grizzlies Durant has averaged 30.5 points per game with 47.3% shooting. He has grabbed an average of over 8 boards a game.
Guard Russell Westbrook in the post season has averaged just under 24 points per game with 6 assists and rebounds.
Westbrook in four games against Memphis has put up 24 ½ points and 9 assists per game. He too has shot well against the Grizzlies with a 47.2% shooting average.
Off the bench James Harden has contributed in the playoffs with 10 ½ points per game average with 5 ½ rebounds.
Harden has put up nearly 14 points per game against the Memphis Grizzlies this season.
Serge Ibaka has been solid for OKC with 11 rebounds and nearly 5 block shots per game in the postseason.
Ibaka has averaged 9 points with just under 8 rebounds in his four games against Memphis during the regular season.
Trend: The Over is 5-0 in their past five meetings.
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