Knicks vs. Grizzlies Betting (Oct. 19): Back Morant-led Grizzlies to Open Season with a Victory

The 2022-23 NBA season kicked off on Tuesday night and the action continues on Wednesday. The Oct. 19 slate of games looks fairly exciting, including an inter-conference showdown between the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies.

Jalen Brunson dropped 27 PTS (10-16 FGM) in the @nyknicks' final preseason action!

The Knicks open the regular season against the Grizzlies on Oct. 19th at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN pic.twitter.com/v2aiOwOZog

— NBA (@NBA) October 15, 2022

The Knicks could use a good start to their campaign after failing to even qualify for the Play-In Tournament last season. Though the team is quite similar to what we saw last season, New York hopes that offseason acquisition Jalen Brunson can live up to the hype and help turn this franchise around.

On the other hand, the Grizzlies are still riding high after their trip to the Western Conference Semifinals. A lot of people called that run a fluke, so time will tell if Memphis can recreate that success or prove its doubters right.

There’s a lot to take in before Wednesday’s Knicks vs Grizzlies game. Fortunately, Betting News has gathered the game’s odds while also having a prediction and best bet for tonight’s contest.

New York Knicks vs Memphis Grizzlies Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: New York Knicks (0-0, 0-0Away) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (0-0, 0-0 Home)
• Venue & Location: FedExForum (Memphis, Tennessee)
• Date: Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022
• Game Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
• Knicks vs Grizzlies Info: ESPN

Knicks vs Grizzlies Early Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 9:31 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• New York Knicks +5 (-114)
• Memphis Grizzlies -5 (-106)

Over/Under

• Over 226 Points (-110)
• Under 226 Points (-110)

Moneyline

• New York Knicks +164
• Memphis Grizzlies -196

New York Knicks vs Memphis Grizzlies Betting Trends

• New York is 5-12 straight up in its last 17 games against Memphis.
• Memphis is 14-3 straight up in its last 17 home games.
• New York is 13-7 against the spread (ATS) in its last 20 games.
• Memphis is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games against the Eastern Conference.
• The total has hit the under in each of New York’s last five games.
• The total has hit the over in four of Memphis’ last six games played in October.

New York Knicks vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction and Picks

Knicks vs Grizzlies Prediction: Grizzlies 112, Knicks 100

Knicks vs Grizzlies Picks: Grizzlies -5 (Best Value: -106 at BetOnline) & Under 226 Points (Best Value: -110 at BetOnline)

This is a game between two teams with a lot to prove for different reasons. The Knicks want to showcase that they’re worthy of a playoff spot, while the Grizzlies need to establish that a team as young as theirs can be a legitimate contender.

As far as the Knicks go, they need to show signs of serious improvement before being trusted consistently. They averaged the fifth-fewest points last season (106.5 PPG), which is a mark that they hope Brunson will help improve.

Having said that, Brunson even needs to prove that he’s capable of that sort of help. The 26-year-old guard averaged 16.3 points and 4.8 assists with the Dallas Mavericks last season, but he’ll need to produce more than that to live up to his four-year, $104 million contract.

.@WindhorstESPN thinks the Knicks will be a tough team to face with the addition of Jalen Brunson:

"I think it is a step forward for the Knicks. And I don't think they're gonna be an easy team to beat, especially going into The Garden." pic.twitter.com/4owmMYnEG4

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 13, 2022

Brunson had a solid preseason, but he and his Knicks have a tough test in Memphis. The Grizzlies averaged the second-most points (115.2 PPG) in the NBA last season, led by the likes of Ja Morant (27.4 PPG), Dillon Brooks (18.4 PPG) and Desmond Bane (18.2 PPG).

Even though the Knicks had a great defense last year, they still allowed 119 PPG in their two meetings against the Grizzlies. Making matters worse, Memphis won both of those games.

At the end of the day, the Grizzlies are a fairly deep team. The Knicks will need their top players to step up, especially the likes of Julius Randle and Evan Fournier. Both men had largely forgettable 2021-22 campaigns, so more consistent play out of the gate will help New York in the long run.

Still, I think that this is the Grizzlies’ game to lose. They’ve already proven that they’re a playoff-worthy team and Morant is only going to get better as he gets older. It’s easy to forget that he’s only 23 years old because of how good he is on the court.

Memphis has won eight of its last 10 home games against New York and I predict that trend will continue tonight. Until the Knicks prove that they’re ready to step up to the next level, it’s hard to trust them against a team as good as the Grizzlies.

In addition to taking the Grizzlies as 5-point spread favorites, I’m also backing the total hitting under 226 points. Both sides had some of the better defenses in the league last season, so I’m predicting somewhat of a low-scoring game compared to the projected total.

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