Earning a victory over the Lakers and the spread could be what legitimizes the Grizzlies late in the season as we gun towards the post season.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that the Lakers desperately need Kobe Bryant to be a contender. While their only loss since losing him has been a one-point hear breaker to the rival Celtics, the Lakers are 4-1 SU in the past five games without Kobe. Overall they\u2019re just 3-5-1 ATS but on the road they\u2019ve simply been reliable. With a 5-1-1 ATS and 6-1 SU record in their past 7 roadies, the Lakers will hope that the return of Kobe can be the difference maker against a team which beat them 95-93 in their last meeting.<\/p>\n
Of course, the other big element of tonight\u2019s game is the battle of the Gasol brothers. Averaging 17.2 points and 11.1 rebounds this season, Gasol has been everything you\u2019d want out of a power forward. Yet his little brother, Marc Gasol, is having a great surge this year averaging 15.0 points and 9.4 boards. His immense 7-foot-1, 265 pound frame and his desire to outplay his big brother has fueled him to be a serious competitor this year and in the last matchup against big brother, Marc had 11 point and 13 rebounds. Los Angeles Lakers (42-14) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (28-27) Expecting a win out of Memphis with a well rested Kobe coming back is a lot, but I love that betting line for them. This game will be closer than most think because of Gasol and Randolph. The Grizzlies are 10-4 ATS when playing the Lakers at home, though they\u2019re just 1-4 SU in the past five games under those circumstances. Scoring hasn\u2019t been a problem for either team as the game has gone in the OVER in 4-of-6 when Memphis hosts L.A.<\/p>\n Do not sleep on Memphis. The Grizzlies haven\u2019t been playing well lately, but against he Lakers they\u2019ll bring everything that they have to prove that they\u2019re a dangerous team. Expect a tight dog fight tonight and while the Lakers will walk away with the win, the Grizzlies will cover the spread.<\/p>\n
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\nAnd while the Lakers\u2019 trio of Bynum, Odom and Gasol brings height, finesse, scoring and defense to the table, the Grizzlies are surprisingly one of those teams that can match them underneath. Marc Gasol is much better than you think he is, but Zach Randolph is the linchpin for the Grizzlies. With 20.4 points and 11.7 rebounds, Randolph\u2019s redemption year has a strong chance of continuing when the Grizzlies host the Lakers tonight.<\/p>\n
\nTuesday, February 23rd — FedEX Forum — 8:00pm EST
\nNBA Betting Line: Lakers -5 (199)<\/strong><\/p>\n