Vegas Western Conference NBA Odds: Minnesota at Memphis

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Frank Martin

Vegas Western Conference NBA Odds: Minnesota at Memphis

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in unfamiliar territory as they prepare to visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. The Timberwolves held on for an 86-84 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night to run their winning streak to three games and put the team above .500 in February for the first time since 2005.

Minnesota will be seeking its first four-game winning streak in two years, which came against Memphis on Feb. 6, 2010. Tuesday's victory was impressive in the fact that the Timberwolves prevailed without leading scorer and rebounder Kevin Love, who is serving a two-game suspension for stepping on Houston's Luis Scola on Saturday night.

Minnesota went 0-9 least season without Love, who will also miss the matchup with the Grizzlies. Memphis is headed in the opposite direction as the Timberwolves, having lost three straight and seven of the last nine.

- Minnesota Timberwolves @ Memphis Grizzlies
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSNO

The Grizzlies have opened as 8-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NBA Basketball Odds.

Minnesota Timberwolves (13-12): Rookie Derrick Williams, the No. 2 overall pick, started due to Love’s suspension and responded with 14 points and eight rebounds. That’s two fewer points than he scored in his last five games combined. Williams had half his total in the final four minutes, including a 3-pointer with under a minute left to put Minnesota ahead for good. C Nikola Pekovic took advantage of an injury to Darko Milicic to record his third double-double in four games with 23 points and 10 boards.

Memphis Grizzlies (12-13): Memphis coach Lionel Hollins regretted playing three of his starters at least 40 minutes in Monday's loss, but some of his players are not giving him much choice. Marreese Speights, acquired from Philadelphia when Zach Randolph was hurt, is in a tailspin, has scored a total of 14 points in the last four games on 6-of-23 shooting. Quincy Pondexter got a start because of an injury to Tony Allen and failed to score for the third straight game.

NBA Basketball

1. The Grizzlies have a five-game winning streak over the Timberwolves, holding them under 90 points four times. Memphis has won eight of the last nine meetings.

2. Memphis is scoring nearly 14 points more per game at home than on the road.

3. The Timberwolves were 13 games under .500 (6-19) through 25 games last season.

NBA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Grizzlies 94, Timberwolves 86

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