Tonight the National Basketball Association (NBA) takes on the Washington Wizards at 7:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) for their regular season finale. As the league enters its second half, many fans are looking to get their last fix of the action before the trade deadlines in early November. With less than 10 regular season games left to be played, one team has risen above the rest as they attempt to dethrone the Golden State Warriors as kings of the NBA hill.
Tonight’s betting line for the game pits the underdogs against the favorite. The oddsmakers have placed an over/under (total points scored) of 206 points on the over (Wizards wins), and an underdog price of +135 on the under (Wizards loses). While the betting public is clearly on the side of the underdogs, the opening line of -165 for the Wizards doesn’t look too bad either. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key storylines to watch as we head into the final stretch of the regular season.
The Houston Rockets Are Back
One team that you wouldn’t usually put down money on is looking to end their seven-game losing streak. The Houston Rockets will try to keep their season of magic going as they host the defending champs, the Golden State Warriors at 8:00 pm EST. If you’re a betting person, then you might want to back the underdogs in this one since the money is on the side of the Warriors. However, if you’re looking for an upset, the Rockets are a good bet since they haven’t lost a game since mid-January. With the season winding down, tonight’s matchup should be a good one. The Rockets have a chance to show the Warriors why they were the best team in the league last year, and prove that they are for real this time around.
The Memphis Grizzlies Aren’t Helping
The Grizzlies will end the regular season tonight with a home game against the New Orleans Pelicans at 8:00 pm EST. It’s been a tough season for the Memphis Grizzlies as they’ve missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013. The team enters tonight’s game with a 10–21 record and have been eliminated from playoff contention. Much of the blame can be put on the poor play of their marquee player, Marc Gasol. Even so, the team will likely be looking for some form of redemption as they try to close out their disappointing season. Memphis hasn’t been a good basketball city for a long time, as their last NBA champion was with the Shellgasol Brothers in 2006. With Gasol coming back from an Achilles injury, it’s not unlikely that he’ll produce a few highlights for the Grizzlies, but it’s hard to see them making the playoffs this year. The over/under for tonight’s game is set at 209 points, with the line for the home team sitting at -125. Don’t expect much help from the Grizzlies as they close out their season.