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The Jazz host the Grizzlies on Sunday night for Game 1 of the First Round of the West Conference NBA betting Playoffs. Memphis got here by taking a long way. They finished the regular season 9th in the West and were forced to go through two rounds of the play-in tournament. The Grizzlies beat the Spurs in the first game before pulling an upset against the Warriors on Friday. They have now lost only twice in the last 10 games. Their overall record this season is 40-34 SU and 42-31-1 ATS. Utah is coming off a fantastic regular season which they finished as a top seed in the West. They also own the best record in the league with 52-20. Against the spread, the Jazz is 41-30-1. Just like the Grizzlies, they had a strong finish to the season, going 10-5 in the last 15 games. This will be the third time these teams play each other this year. The Jazz won all three previous matchups.

Memphis Grizzlies vs Utah Jazz Betting Odds & Line Movement

The Jazz are favored by -8.5 in this NBA playoffs betting matchup with most bookies, although some are offering the -9 line. The total stands at 216 or 215.5 depending on where you place your bet.

Notes On The Memphis Grizzlies

This is the first taste of playoffs for the new generation of Grizzlies. The young roster is a bit different from a Grit and Grind era as they enjoy playing at a frantic pace. Memphis ranks 8th in the NBA in possessions per game. A lot of credit for this goes to Ja Morant, who is one of the most electric players in the league in transition.

However, in two play-in games, the Grizzlies have shown that they can adapt to a slower pace and halfcourt battles. This is where their ability to grab offensive rebounds and score 2nd-chance NBA playoffs betting points comes to light. In their game vs Golden State, the Grizzlies had 16 offensive rebounds, 5 more than the Warriors. On Friday, Ja Morant had probably the most memorable performance of his career. The young point guard scored 35 points and added 6 assists and 6 rebounds.

The only player out for Memphis tonight is Sean McDermott who isn’t a meaningful part of the rotation anyway. It remains to be seen how much will coach Jenkins play Jarren Jackson Jr. The big man played only 14 minutes vs the Warriors.

Notes On The Utah Jazz

Probably the deepest team in the league, the Jazz managed to overcome all health issues this season to claim the No. 1 seed in the West. Tonight will be the first time for a while that coach Snider can count on all of his key players. Utah got where they are by playing their trademark gritty defense led by DPOY favorite Rudy Gobert and shooting the lights out from beyond the arch. They averaged 43.1 attempts from long range which is two more than the next team on the list.

The biggest news ahead of the playoff is the return of the franchise star Donovan Mitchell. Still, he hasn’t played in more than a month so there’s no telling how much will he be able to contribute. Luckily for the Jazz, they have plenty of other players that can step up. Despite finishing with the best record, the Jazz is still not considered as a top contender. The fact that they have only the 4th-best odds to win the Championship will certainly fuel and motivate coach Snider’s team.

The only injury worry for the Jazz is Ersan Ilyasova who’s listed as questionable.

Memphis Grizzlies vs Utah Jazz Betting Pick & Prediction: Memphis +9

The Grizzlies showed that they are capable of performing when it matters. They did play 2 NBA playoffs betting games while the Jazz rested. However, fatigue likely won’t be an issue for the young team as they had a day off between each of the games. They are 21-10 ATS in the last 31 games playing after a day of rest. On the other hand, the Jazz is 1-5 ATS in the last 6 games on at least 3 days of rest. Utah is still the favorite, but the Grizzlies should be able to keep this one close.

On Saturday, the Nets will host the Celtics for Game 1 of the First Round series in the East. The Celtics booked their place in the playoffs after beating Washington in the play-in game. It was only their 5th win in the last 15 games as they struggled to find the form lately. They finished the regular season 7th in the conference with a 36-36 record. Against the spread, they were 35-38. The Nets, on the other hand, finished the regular season winning 5 straight and 10 out of the last 15 games. Their overall record was 48-24 which got them the 2nd seed in the East. Their ATS record was 38-34. Boston and Brooklyn meet three times already this season. The Nets came out as winners in all three games.

Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets Betting Odds And Line Movement

The Nets opened as the -7.5 NBA online betting favorites but with most of the early action going their way the line has moved to -8. The total also saw some movement. It moved from the opening 225.5 to 228.5.

Notes On The Boston Celtics

The Celtics had their season derailed by the serious injuries and Covid-19 absences. Most of their key players missed some time during the campaign. They’re now heading to the playoffs without Jaylen Brown who got injured two weeks ago and will miss the rest of the season. It comes as a huge blow to Boston’s ambitions. The young guard was having a career year and earned an All-Star appearance. With Brown out, Tatum and Walker will have to carry even more offensive load. They have proven to be up to the task so far, especially in the play-in win over Washington. Tatum destroyed the Wizards dropping 50 on them, while Walker added 29 points of his own. Both of them seem to be hitting the form just in time for the playoffs. Tatum averages 31.2 ppg in the last 9 games while Kemba put up 29.8 in his last 4 appearances. Still, the Celts will need some of the role players to also step up if they are to be competitive in the series.

Besides Brown, the only other injury worry for coach Stevens is Robert Williams who is listed as questionable.

Notes On The Brooklyn Nets

After adding James Harden to their star duo of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, the Nets are clearly in a “championship or bust” mode. Still, due to the combination of injuries and Covid-19, the trio has rarely played together this season. However, regardless of who’s on the floor, Brooklyn is an offensive force under Steve Nash. They have the best Offensive Rating in non-garbage time minutes in the NBA with 119.4. On the defensive end, the Nets fared much worse. Their defense ranks 21st in the league, allowing opponents 114.07 points per game. The good news is that all three stars are ready for the playoffs. The Nets will be hoping that their defense won’t matter that much as they are clearly capable of outscoring everyone.

On Saturday, the Nets will be without long-term absentee Spencer Dinwiddie. Harden and Joe Harris are day-to-day but should be ready to go.

Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets Betting Pick & Prediction:Brooklyn -8

The three Brooklyn stars may not have had enough time to develop chemistry. Still, their talent alone should be enough for the Celtics without Brown. Also, the Nets feature several quality role players who are ready to step up on any given night. Even without their star trio at full strength, they beat Boston three times this year. Plus, Brooklyn is 6-0 in their last six home games vs Boston.