The 2021 NBA Playoffs betting action continues Monday, May 31, with a couple of games on the schedule including the Western Conference showdown at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee, so here’s the best Utah Jazz vs. Memphis Grizzlies betting pick for Game 4 of their first-round series.
The Grizzlies upset the top-seeded Jazz in the opener but dropped the next two games to found themselves in trouble ahead of Monday’s clash. Utah opened as a 5-point road fave on BetRivers Sportsbook, while Memphis is a +180 moneyline dog with a total of 224.5 points.
The Jazz continue to lean on their 3-point shooting
The Utah Jazz went only 12-for-47 from downtown in Game 1 and suffered a 112-109 defeat as 8-point home favorites, allowing the Grizzlies to control the paint and score 62 points in the paint along with 16 offensive rebounds.
Donovan Mitchell returned in Game 2 following a 17-game absence due to an ankle injury to help his team with 25 points, and the Jazz outlasted Memphis 141-129 as 10-point favorites while shooting 19-for-39 from beyond the 3-point line (48.7%).
The Jazz took a 2-1 lead in this series thanks to another strong performance on the offensive end. They beat the Grizzlies 121-111 this past Saturday, making 49.4% of their field goals and 44.2% of their 3-pointers (19-for-43). The Jazz handed out just 17 assists and tallied only 34 points in the paint, but they played very well down the stretch and outlasted Memphis 16-4 in the final five minutes.
The Grizzlies have to step up on both sides of the ball
The Memphis Grizzlies trailed for most of Saturday’s Game 3 and by as many as 15 points, but they rallied to get a 107-105 lead with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. However, the Grizzlies couldn’t get the job done, allowing the Jazz to outplayed them completely.
Memphis scored 20 points in the paint more than Utah, but the Grizzlies shot 43.0% from the field and 31.7% from downtown (13-for-41). Once more, they posted 16 offensive rebounds and it wasn’t enough.
Ja Morant and Jonas Valanciunas had a minus-22 net rating each last Saturday, while Jaren Jackson Jr. scored nine points on a 3-for-11 shooting from the field. These three guys need to play much better basketball if they want to eliminate the No. 1 seed in the West. Morant had 47 points in Game 2, while Dillon Brooks is averaging 27.0 points a night in this series.
Trends:
Utah:
- 6-3 ATS in the last nine games against Memphis
Memphis:
- 2-6 ATS in the last eight games overall
- 6-13 ATS in the last 19 playoff games
NBA Picks
The Grizzlies won’t go away easily, and I’m expecting another tight battle in Game 4. The Jazz comfortably covered a 5.5-point spread in Game 3, but it could’ve been way more difficult. The Grizzlies can keep it close on the home court, but I’m expecting the Jazz to grab another road win, so give me Utah as a 3-point fave at slightly lower wages.
The Jazz possess more depth than the Grizzlies, and their second unit is a big advantage in this matchup. Utah will take 40-plus attempts from deep once more, but even if they struggle, the Jazz are capable of playing tough defense.
Pick: Take Utah Jazz -3.0 at -150
The Total:
Seven of the last eight encounters between the Jazz and Grizzlies went in the over, and I’m sticking with this betting trend. The opening game of this series produced 221 points in total, as both teams struggle offensively, while the previous two were proper high-scoring affairs.
As I’ve mentioned, the Jazz lean heavily on their 3-point shooting, making 16.7 out of 43.0 attempts per game which are the most in the NBA this season. On the other side, the Grizzlies play at the eighth-fastest pace in the league, averaging 100.4 possessions per 48 minutes.
Pick: Go over 224.5 points at -110
