The Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies are going through it right now as the two Western Conference contenders look to pull themselves out of skids as they meet tonight at FedExForum in Memphis.
While L.A. is looking to bounce back from a buzzer-beating loss to the Bulls, Memphis is dealing with even larger problems after the team seemingly fired Taylor Jenkins out of nowhere yesterday.
As such, my Lakers vs. Grizzlies predictions and NBA picks for Saturday, March 29 don’t expect Memphis to play its best under interim coach Tuomas Iisalo.
Lakers vs Grizzlies prediction
My best bet: Lakers +2.5 (-115 at bet365)
My analysis
Obviously, the Los Angeles Lakers’ last-second loss to the Bulls was atrocious and Josh Giddey will likely be haunting Lakers fans' dreams for weeks, but it’s slightly surprising to see the Memphis Grizzlies favored by 2.5 points, even at home. Between how they’ve played lately and Jenkins being fired, it’s hard to have confidence.
Although Memphis has been one of the better teams ATS this season, the Grizzlies have been backsliding for weeks. Since February 12, Memphis is just 8-12, which ultimately led to Jenkins being relieved of his duties, and they’ve been as bad as it gets ATS at 3-17.
Over that 20-game span, Memphis couldn’t be less reliable when favored by fewer than six points. The Grizz are just 0-6 when the spread is between -1 and -5.5, with their only three covers since February 12 coming as clear favorites.
When a team matches up well in terms of talent with Memphis, the Grizz have simply not come to play. So while the Lakers are dealing with their own issues, they’ve been more reliable than Memphis as of late.
Since Luka Doncic made his Lakers debut on February 10, the Lakers are 12-11 ATS. That’s not great, but it’s a lot better than what we’ve seen from Memphis, and L.A. is poised for a bounce-back game after LeBron James’ crucial late-game mistakes.
It’s clear Doncic has reinvigorated this offense with the Lakers averaging 114.6 points per gbame since the beginning of February and up from the 111.7 ppg they averaged in January. The five-time All-Star has been on a heater as of late, too, with him putting up 30.9 ppg, 8.6 rpb, and 8.5 apg in March.
Memphis’ defense will have all kinds of issues trying to slow him down. The Grizz are allowing the sixth-most points per game in the NBA (116.9) and have seen that jump up to a whopping 119.3 ppg since the beginning of January (39 games).
Jenkins being out, the Grizzlies' recent inability to cover, and their defensive woes all point to the Lakers taking advantage.
Lakers vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
Lakers +2.5
Luka Doncic Over 3.5 threes
Ja Morant Over 21.5 points
Win or lose, Doncic has been putting up MVP-level numbers. He's been an unstoppable force for the last month with his 3-point shooting shining in particular.
Doncic is shooting 43% from behind the arc over his last 13 games and has hit at least four threes in 11 of those outings, including five straight. If the Grizz want to keep up with his pace, they’ll need Ja Morant to come to play.
Morant, who has missed six straight games, was on a tear the last time he was on the court. The two-time All-Star put up 22+ points in eight straight games, including a 44-point outing the last time he played.
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Lakers vs Grizzlies odds
Lakers vs Grizzlies live odds
Lakers vs Grizzlies opening odds
- Spread: Los Angeles +1 | Memphis -1
- Moneyline: Los Angeles -105 | Memphis -115
- Over/Under: Over 234.5 | Under 234.5
Odds courtesy of bet365.
Lakers vs Grizzlies spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Grizzlies opened as a 1-point home favorite with the line continuing to shift in their direction to -2.5, despite Jenkins being fired.
- Los Angeles is among the best teams in the NBA ATS at 39-32-2, but Memphis isn’t far behind at 38-34-1.
- The Over/Under opened as low as 232.5 and has steadily been climbing with most books offering it between 237 and 237.5.
- The Lakers are one of the worst teams betting the Over this season at 36-37, while the Grizzlies are among the best at 42-31.
Lakers vs Grizzlies trend
The Lakers have covered the first-quarter spread in 25 of their last 33 games for +15.5 units and a 40% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Lakers vs Grizzlies
| Location | FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee |
| Date | Saturday, 3-29-2025 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | SPECSN, FDSN-Memphis |
Lakers vs Grizzlies latest injuries
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