Grizzlies vs Lakers Game 5 Predictions: Close It Out at Home

• The Lakers took Game Four 117-111 in overtime to go up 3-1 in the series
• LeBron James racked up 22 points, 20 rebounds, and seven assists the last time out
• The Lakers are now 19-8 since the All-Star break, while the Grizzlies are 17-12

The Los Angeles Lakers can book their ticket into the next round with one more win against the Memphis Grizzlies when they meet in western Tennessee Wednesday night. 

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Grizzlies vs Lakers Game Five Odds

Odds taken from PointsBet sportsbook.

What Happened in Game Four?

The Grizzlies needed just over five minutes to exceed their Game Three first-quarter total of nine points, a low bar to clear but also a statement that they weren’t going to get punked for the second time in a row. The game teetered back and forth for a while with different players putting together individual runs, but the central theme for both teams was defense.

Memphis was in a prime position to tie the series up but could only stare and watch as LeBron James sank a game-tying layup with .8 seconds left and the game went into overtime. The Grizzlies were outscored 13-7 in that period as the purple and gold successfully defended their home court.

The defensive matchups were the most interesting component of Game Four. Memphis switched Xavier Tillman onto LeBron in place of Dillon Brooks, who was ejected for a flagrant foul on LeBron the game before. The added size worked, and LeBron looked to score the ball much less. On the other side, Dennis Schroder played 30 minutes and spent most of them hounding Ja Morant, who had his worst game of the series.

Key Stats from Game Four

LeBron set a playoff career-high of 20 rebounds to go with 22 points, seven assists, and a couple of blocks. He and Austin Reaves drove the team home in the fourth quarter and overtime despite an incredibly slow night from Anthony Davis (12 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks) and D’Angelo Russell fouling out.

Schroder made several careless turnovers but finished with a game-high +24, largely thanks to his air-tight coverage on Morant. He is an entirely different player than Jarred Vanderbilt, who started on Morant, but found much greater success and is a near-lock to play closing minutes in Game Five.

Desmond Bane poured in 36 points for the Grizzlies but needed 29 shots to do so. Morant only provided 19 points (8-24 FG), seven assists, and four turnovers, and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 14 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks but also shot 33% from the field (5-15). Series villain Dillon Brooks wound up with 11 points on 4-11 (36.4%) shooting. 

Game Five Preview

It’s only been four games, but both the Grizzlies and Lakers look tired. Traveling across the country without the extra day’s rest fresh off of an overtime defensive struggle won’t help that either and favors the younger team (Memphis).

On the flip side, the Lakers would be wise to give it their all in Game Five so they can grab some extra rest while the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors battle it out in their classic of a series. No play-in team has ever advanced out of the first round, and the Lakers have a chance to do just that in a gentleman’s sweep.

The last game in Memphis was a 20-point win for the home team without Morant, and they are yet to win a game that he appears in. Memphis had the best home record in the NBA (35-6) and is right up against the wall and needs to bounce back or face an early summer vacation.

How Do the Grizzlies Win?

The Grizzlies will win Game Five if they can get just two of their stars firing offensively in the same game. Morant and Bane have had their moments in this series, and Jackson Jr. has been good but not great. Their regular-season defense has translated well into the postseason and is begging to be coupled with an explosive scoring night in front of a raucous Memphis crowd.

How Do the Lakers Win?

The Lakers have a bad habit of coming out flat and uninterested in important games, which is exactly why they lost Game Two so decisively despite Morant sitting out. They will win Game Five if they come out and assert themselves in the first quarter and don’t check out on defense the rest of the way. LeBron is still yet to have a great scoring night and is someone to keep an eye on. 

Grizzlies vs Lakers Game Five Pick

There are very valid arguments for both sides. The game will likely be decided not by the stars, but by the role players, specifically the Lakers’. If Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Schroder bring their A-Game, they should be able to power a tired offense just enough to get the win.

This game is a toss-up, but since the Lakers are being spotted the four points, they get the faith on the spread. Lakers +4 is the pick.

How to Watch Grizzlies vs Lakers Game Five

• Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN
• When: 7:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 26
• TV: TNT
• Streaming: YouTube TV, Hulu, Sling, etc.