Life Without Gasol
The Memphis Grizzlies continue the process of trying to redefine themselves after trading star Pau Gasol when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global have made Memphis -3.5 point spread favorites (NBA Odds) for today’s game, the over/under has been set at 195 total points (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 89% of bets for this game have been placed on Milwaukee +3.5 (View NBA Bet Percentages).
On Friday, Memphis (13-34) dealt the 7-foot Gasol – the team’s second-leading scorer (18.9 points per game) and leading rebounder (8.8) – to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Grizzlies received forward Kwame Brown, guards Javaris Crittenton and Aaron McKie, the rights to Gasol’s brother Marc, two first-round draft picks and cash considerations.
In their first game without Gasol, the Grizzlies turned the ball over 23 times and fell behind by as many as 27 points in a 110-91 loss to Utah on Saturday.
"We had a totally different team than what we’re used to playing with, so it will take some time for us to get used to it,” said forward Rudy Gay, who had a team-high 15 points but was 5-of-15 from the field and committed six turnovers.
None of the three players obtained from the Lakers dressed against the Jazz, but they could be active for Tuesday’s game.
The Grizzlies have dropped 24 of their last 31 and own the fourth-worst record in the NBA. Gay said the whole team needs to contribute if they are going to make any headway in the last 35 games.
"I don’t think I can do much more than what I’ve been doing,” said Gay, averaging a team-high 19.7 points. "But, also, I think it’s time for other people to step up. Pau was great for us, but now he’s gone. We have to move on and other guys are going to have to find their identity, find their niche in the league.”
Gay had 26 points in Memphis’ 102-99 loss at Milwaukee on Nov. 14.
The Bucks, who swept the two-game season series with the Grizzlies in 2006-07, are looking to win four straight over the Memphis franchise for the first time.
Milwaukee (18-30) is coming off a 91-83 loss to Houston on Saturday in a game billed as the "Chinese Super Bowl,” as it featured the Rockets’ Yao Ming and the Bucks’ Yi Jianlian. Yi, though, hurt his shoulder early in the game and finished with just six points on 1-for-10 shooting.
Milwaukee has dropped three straight and 10 of 13.
Andrew Bogut had a team-high 21 points Saturday after scoring only five on 2-of-8 shooting in Wednesday’s 122-69 blowout by Philadelphia. Bogut had 23 points and 12 rebounds against the Grizzlies earlier this season, and is averaging 18.0 points on 70.6 percent shooting and 8.0 boards in his last three games against them.
Milwaukee leading scorer Michael Redd (23.0 ppg) missed his fourth straight contest with a left knee strain Saturday. Redd, listed as day-to-day, had 31 points against Memphis on Nov. 14.
The Bucks have lost seven straight road games by an average of 17.0 points, and own the NBA’s fifth-worst road record at 5-22.
The Grizzlies, however, have the league’s third-worst home mark at 9-17, and have lost their last three games at FedEx Forum by an average of 14.0 points.
By: Marc Young – theSpread.com – Email Us
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