NBA Saturday Preview: Nuggest Vs Grizzlies
This Saturday, two teams looking for a playoff berth from the opposite sides of the cut-off line will square off in Graceland, when the Memphis Grizzlies host the Denver Nuggets.
Denver Nuggets (43-21, 3rd in Western Conference) @ Memphis Grizzlies (34-21, 9th in Western Conference)
NBA Bettin(*note lines are approximations as they have not been posted at the time of writing)
Spread: Denver -3 Over/Under: 207 Money Line: Denver -140, Memphis +125 Bookmaker Review: Key Matchups Bronze Medal: Chauncey Billups vs. Mike Conley Jr. Mike Conley Jr. is coming off one of his better games of the season against Boston on Wednesday when he scored 12 points and had six assists and six rebounds. Memphis blew the Celtics out in Boston, 111-91. Conley has been strong in his last five games with two 20+ point performances. The Grizzlies are 4-1 in that span. Chauncey Billups is having another big year and looks poised to lead the Nuggets to a deep playoff run again like he did last year after being traded to them for Allen Iverson. Billups is averaging 20.1 points, 5.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds a game this year and was an All-Star for the Western Conference. Billups has a size, strength, offensive game, defensive game, and veteran experience over Conley. Conley is good player and a solid three point shooter, but he cannot compare to Billups. Advantage: Nuggets Silver Medal: Zack Randolph vs. Chris “Birdman” Anderson With Kenyon Martin down for a few more weeks, the Nuggets have turned to the Birdman. Chris Andersen has seen a huge jump in his minutes and the big banger has responded by scoring over ten points three times, having 10 rebounds twice and having at least three blocks each game on the Nuggets four game win streak (one game with four blocks). Zeebo continues to produce for the Grizzlies as they try to scrape their way back into playoff contention here late in the season. Zach Randolph has been the driving force for the Grizzlies this season with 20.7 points and 11.8 rebounds a game. Zach sat out a game with a sore back, but came back to score 18 and 10 against the Celtics and the likes of Kevin Garnett. Randolph is a force under the boards but Anderson might be a foil for Randolph with his shot-blocking prowess. Randolph does have an outside game that he will take full advantage of, but the battle for offensive rebounds will be harder for Randolph in this game. Still, you have to give Zeebo the advantage as Birdman doesn’t really have an offensive game. Advantage: Grizzlies Gold Medal: Carmelo Anthony vs. Rudy Gay One of the free agents to be this offseason, Rudy Gay has quietly had a big season for the Grizzlies with 18.8 points and 7.8 rebounds a game at small forward. Gay is a tall and long athletic forward that has been beaten up for his lazy rotation and poor defense. Gay has an offensive game to rival most off the dribble, but is far too inconsistent with his shot and only shoots 47% from the field and 33% from three. Carmelo Anthony is putting together another great season for the Nuggets. Anthony, who won’t be a free agent until the summer of 2011, has his sights set on an NBA title and the Nuggets will be a tough out with Melo playing like a man possessed, like he has most of the year averaging 28.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game. Rudy Gay carries himself like one of the game’s premier players, well Saturday he will have his chance to go head to head with one of them. Expect Melo to show up Rudy Gay, Melo is just too good. Advantage: Nuggets The Grizzlies would love to chalk this game up in the win column being down four games in the standings to Portland, who holds the 8th and final playoff spot. The Grizzlies do not matchup very well with Denver, who has too much firepower for Memphis to handle. Expect Memphis to keep it close at home, but ultimately come up short. Final: Denver 108 – Memphis 100. Take Denver -3. Also check out our College Basketball Odds.
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