The Raptors travel to Memphis to face Ja Morant and the Grizzlies on Thursday night (8:00 p.m. ET, Sportsnet). Toronto will be looking to snap its eight-game losing streak, while Memphis hopes to bag its 13th win in 16 games.
The Sporting News has you covered with the NBA odds for this interconference clash, as well as some best bets and top props from the BetMGM online sportsbook.
These squads have split their regular-season series every year since the 2020-21 season. However, the Grizz look a lot healthier. Memphis has Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Canadian Zach Edey all healthy right now.
The Raptors, meanwhile, are still missing the services of point guard Immanuel Quickley. The flow of Toronto’s offense has been off without his key contributions.
Still, this should be a solid game. Here are the odds for this Thursday night tilt between the Raptors and Grizzlies, as well as our final score prediction, best bets and top props.
Raptors vs. Bulls odds, pick against spread
All odds and props are from BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA.
- ATS: Grizzlies -11.5 (-110) | Raptors +11.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Grizzlies -650 | Raptors +475
- Over/under: O 240.5 (-110) | U 240.5 (-110)
Talk about a lopsided spread! And, it could be a trap for bettors thinking they’re getting value with Toronto. Despite their awful 7-23 record, the Raptors have gone 19-10-1 against the spread. Memphis, however, has been even better ATS. The Grizzlies’ cover rate? 20-10 – 66.7 percent.
Raptors vs. Grizzlies best bets and final score prediction
The Grizzlies have enjoyed ample rest thanks to the holiday, and they’re healthy and on fire right now. This is not the time to pick against a young, hungry team at home against a basement-dwelling out-of-conference opponent. Memphis could very well smoke Toronto.
It’s not just that the Raps don’t have enough offensive weapons to contend with Morant, Bane, JJJ and company. They also don’t have enough perimeter defense, rim stoppers, or rebounding.
Memphis checks every one of those boxes, and Taylor Jenkins’ squad also dictates the pace as well as any team in the league. The Grizz have gone 17-7 since November, and they have shot over 49 percent from the floor in that stretch. They’ve also shot better than 40 percent from three-point land since the start of December.
Don’t expect a young team to play down to its opponent tonight. Memphis hasn’t just been cruising through its past 15 games straight up — it’s also doing well to cover spreads and ensure it doesn’t blow any big leads.
You don’t go 20-10 ATS by accident — this is a team that gives its all from start to finish, and as a result, we can’t possibly suggest you put your money on RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick and the Raptors.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Grizzlies 125, Raptors 108 — The Grizzlies win and cover, while the total goes UNDER the projected total of 240.5.
Raptors vs. Grizzlies top player prop bet
Ja Morant over 22.5 points (-110)
Morant has bested this mark five times in the past nine games he has played, and tonight he benefits from having two full days off since Memphis’s last game.
The Grizzlies did not play on Christmas, and no NBA team played on Christmas Eve — that’s a good thing for Morant, who has been held out of back-to-backs and limited during clusters of games since his return from injury.
There should be no limits on Morant tonight, and Toronto will have trouble containing the young star. Expect him to reach this OVER by the end of the third quarter.
