by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Dec 17, 2021
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Where to watch: NBC Sports California, Bally Sports Southeast-Memphis
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: NL
BetMGM: Grizzlies -4.5
Caesars: NL
Season record
Grizzlies: 18-11 (4th place, Western Conference)
Kings: 12-17 (10th place, Western Conference)
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Grizzlies - Kings preview and analysis
Recent form
Grizzlies: won four straight; won 113-103 at Trail Blazers on Wednesday
Kings: won 119-105 vs. Wizards on Wednesday
Positive COVID tests are popping up everywhere in the NBA, and the Sacramento Kings are one of the many teams at the brunt of it right now.
The Kings will somehow play a game on Friday despite three players and interim coach Alvin Gentry in COVID protocol. Assistant coach Doug Christie will serve as the acting coach in Friday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies in Sacramento.
One of those players is point guard De’Aaron Fox, the Kings’ leading scorer at 21.3 points per game. Rookie defensive ace Davion Mitchell is expected to start in his place with Tyrese Haliburton and Harrison Barnes being the go-to options. Haliburton is day-to-day, so keep an eye on his status heading into this one. Buddy Hield will go in his place if need be.
The Kings ended a three-game losing streak Wednesday with an impressive 14-point victory against the Washington Wizards. Fox had a team-high 28 points, and Barnes also chipped in with 19 in the victory.
"They made it very enjoyable for me," Christie said after serving as coach in that game, as well. "(Washington) had us down, and for us to come back and fight the way we did … if it was easy everybody would do it, but it's not."
One would expect that line to fluctuate when more books become available, but the Grizzlies at 4.5 seems too good to be true. Yes, Memphis is dealing with its own COVID situation – notably Ja Morant, who was already out with a knee injury – but the Grizzlies continue to win.
Memphis enters Friday on a four-game winning streak after defeating the Portland Trail Blazers by 10 at Moda Center. Even without Morant, the young Grizzlies have been able to take advantage. Desmond Bane scored 23 points to lead Memphis, and Dillon Brooks also chipped in with 22 for the 4th-seeded Grizzlies past the quarter mark.
"We've got guys that want to win, guys that make winning plays, and we find a way to win," Brooks said. "Portland had a couple of runs and we withstood them and made our own runs, and we made enough plays to win the game. That win right there comes down to the top guy down to the bottom guy, one through 12."
The Grizzlies have three winnable games coming up, including Friday, before a fun grudge match against the Golden State Warriors two days before Christmas. Memphis won the last matchup in Memphis, 104-101.
I know it’s too early to start talking about teams that could challenge the Warriors in the West, but we might need to start putting the Grizzlies in that conversation once Morant comes back.
Prediction
As for this game, the Kings are just too banged up. If that line stays at 4.5, you need to jump on that as soon as possible. Memphis, even without Morant, is a much better team right now than Sacramento even if at full strength. Grizzlies by 20
Betting trends
The Grizzlies are 6-1 ATS against Pacific Division opponents this season.
The Grizzlies are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 following consecutive games of outrebounding the opponent by 10 or more.
The Kings are 9-21 ATS when they fail to cover in a three-in-four stretch.
Projected starting lineup
Grizzlies:
PG: Tyus Jones
SG: Desmond Bane
SF: Dillon Brooks
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr.
C: Steven Adams
SF: Dillon Brooks
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr.
C: Steven Adams
Kings:
PG: Davion Mitchell
SG: Tyrese Haliburton
SF: Harrison Barnes
PF: Chimezie Metu
C: Tristan Thompson
SF: Harrison Barnes
PF: Chimezie Metu
C: Tristan Thompson
Key injuries
Grizzlies: Ja Morant (knee & COVID, out), Sam Merrill (ankle, out), Brandon Clarke (out), Ziaire Williams (ankle, out)
Kings: De’Aaron Fox (COVID, out), Richaun Holmes (eye, doubtful), Alex Len (COVID, out), Marvin Bagley III (COVID, out), Chimezie Metu (knee, questionable)
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
