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The Memphis Grizzlies–Minnesota Timberwolves first-round playoff series has been full of unbelievable moments and it resumes with Game 6 back in the Twin Cities on Friday night with it a pick’em on the NBA odds as the Wolves try to force a Game 7.

How to Bet Grizzlies at Timberwolves NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 9 PM ET
Where: Target Center
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Pick’em (total 229)

Why Bet on Memphis?

Grizzlies star Ja Morant had one of the most memorable individual playoff games in recent history in Memphis’ 111-109 comeback win in Game 5. Morant had a third-quarter dunk that was absolutely breathtaking late in the third quarter. The Wolves were leading by double-digits and as Morant drove the lane, Minnesota’s Malik Beasley slid in to take a possible charger.

If Beasley drew the charge, Morant would have his fourth foul, and Minnesota would get one more possession at the end of the third quarter. The game would have felt over. Instead, Morant soared for a huge tomahawk slam that worked the FedEx Forum into a frenzy and turned the game around.

Morant then won the game by beating Jarred Vanderbilt with his left hand on an underhanded layup with under 2 seconds left. Morant, named the NBA’s most improved player on Monday, struggled mightily much of the game. But he turned it on in the fourth quarter, scoring 18 points — including 9 of 10 at the free-throw line. Morant had his team’s final 11 points and finished with 30 and had 13 rebounds and nine assists.

The Wolves actually are playing him pretty well overall. Morant is averaging 22.4 points on only 40.2% shooting from the field — down from his season mark of 49.3%. He also hasn’t gotten to his floater as much, as he’s shot 4-14 from the area between the restricted circle and the free throw line this series. But the Wolves’ aggressive defense is playing into the hands of Morant’s playmaking abilities.

“If you come off a ball screen and you’re getting blitzed and there’s another body after the blitz, best thing to do is pass the ball. That’s what I’ve been doing,” Morant said. “My job is to go out there and make the best play.”

Desmond Bane added 25 points in Game 5, and Brandon Clarke had 21 off the bench for Memphis, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 12 before fouling out. The Grizzlies are the first team to be down double digits in a playoff series heading into the fourth quarter in two games and come back and win.

Why Bet on Minnesota?

Anthony Edwards hit the game-tying three-pointer with less than four seconds left in Game 5 but also made a stupid defensive play on the other end that led to the Memphis victory. Ja Morant had a clear path to the basket after Edwards failed to execute an attempted steal on the crucial play. Edwards was already behind Morant during the inbound play. Edwards then attempted to tap the ball away which gave Morant just enough time to pivot away and head to the basket.

“I had already had my mind made up that I was going to try to steal it. Dumb mistake. It’s over though. Can’t do nothing about it,” Edwards said.

Edwards finished with 22 points, his fourth 20+ point performance this series. Edwards has tallied 121 points through fiver playoff games to begin his NBA playoff career, the most points through five games to begin a playoff career in Timberwolves history, surpassing Stephon Marbury’s 102 points to begin his NBA playoff career.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 28 points and shot 7-of-15 from the field, including a playoff-career-high 5-of-7 from deep. Towns added a team-high 12 rebounds, good for his second straight 20+ point/10+ rebound game and third of the series (fifth of his career). Towns’ five three-pointers marked the most by a Timberwolves player in the playoffs since Latrell Sprewell connected on six threes on May 16, 2004 at. Towns is fifth Wolves player to have made 5+ triples in a playoff game.

Defensively, the Timberwolves are doing a brilliant job of contesting Ja Morant’s shots and being physical with him at the rim but he’s still getting to the rim at will. Currently, 58 percent of his shots are coming at the rim (most in the league), which is up from 43 percent in the regular season. The Wolves are also fouling him at an astronomical rate. In the regular season, Morant drew a shooting foul on 13.7 percent of his shots (85th percentile). This series, there is a foul called on 20.6 percent of Morant’s shots, the highest rate in the league.

The Timberwolves now have the odds stacked against them, as teams that win Game 5 of a 2-2 best-of-seven series go on to win the series 82.8% of the time.

Game Trends

Grizzlies are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 playoff games as a favorite.
Grizzlies are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games playing on 2 days rest.
Grizzlies are 26-12 ATS in their last 38 games as a favorite.
Grizzlies are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
Timberwolves are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Timberwolves are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 games following a straight up loss.
Grizzlies are 6-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings in Minnesota.