Washington Wizards vs. Memphis Grizzlies Prediction: Can Kyle Kuzma Light Up the Scoreboard Tonight?
The Washington Wizards are in Memphis taking on the Grizzlies. Can Kyle Kuzma step up tonight and light up the scoreboard? Ben Rajavuori provides his Washington Wizards vs. Memphis Grizzlies prediction and player prop pick.
Ben Rajavuori - March 12, 2024, 1:48 PM EDT
5 minWashington Wizards vs. Memphis Grizzlies Prediction: Can Kyle Kuzma Light Up the Scoreboard Tonight?
The Washington Wizards travel to Memphis, Tennessee, tonight to take on the Grizzlies from FedExForum at 8 PM ET. The Wizards have astonishingly won back-to-back games to improve their record to 11–53 on the season. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have lost back-to-back games and continue to struggle with the multiple injuries they’ve dealt with this season. They hold a record of 22–43 and 13th in the Western Conference. what should we expect in this game?
Wizards vs. Grizzlies DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: March 12, 2024
- Game Time: 8:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: NBA League Pass
Washington Wizards vs. Memphis Grizzlies Prediction
For just the first time all season, the Wizards are favorites on the road. The Wizards have only been favored in four games all season, and all four so far have been at home. They are 1-3 as a favorite this season, but they have a pretty good chance to beat the Grizzlies on the road tonight, as the Grizzlies are decimated by injuries. The Grizzlies are still down Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Derrick Rose. Jaren Jackson Jr. will also be out again tonight with right quad tendinitis. Vince Williams is also injured now with a knee injury and will miss this game. The Grizzlies are essentially throwing a G-league lineup out against the Wizards tonight, which is why they found themselves as Home underdogs against the team with the lowest win record in the NBA.
With the wizards expected to win tonight, I like Kyle Kuzma to have a big game for them. The Wizards have won back-to-back games now, and Kyle Kuzma has had 28 and 32 points in those two games respectively. He is averaging 28 points per game over the first five games in March and is averaging 26 points per game post-All-Star break after averaging just 21.8 points per game pre-All-Star break. There’s something interesting about his splits in their rare wins this year. In the 11 games the Wizards have won this season, Kyle Kuzma is averaging 28.4 points. In their 51 losses, Kuzma‘s averaging just 21.2 points. His line tonight is 23.5 points and they are favored to win, so this line feels very low for him.
This line feels low partly due to the Grizzlies playing at such a slow pace recently. However, they are down Jaren Jackson Jr., who is easily the best defender on the team and a previous defensive player of the year. This will open up Kuzma‘s game, as he loves to drive to the basket, which will be easier to do with JJJ not on the floor. The Wizards do not have a lot of star scores outside of Kuzma, and Jordan Poole being the second-leading score on the team is a huge red flag for any offense. Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes are also out for this game, leaving the depth of size very short for the Wizards, so Kuzma should get plenty of minutes as a forward tonight. He played 40 minutes against Charlotte and 38 against the Heat, while he averages just 32 minutes on the season normally. He should play nearly 40 minutes again and score well over his season average of 22.5 points in a game the Wizards are expected to win tonight on the books.
Washington Wizards vs. Memphis Grizzlies Pick
Pick: Kyle Kuzma Over 23.5 Points -120 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
NBA ODDS
