Sports Picks previews the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder clashing in Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday at the Ford Center (1 pm ET, ABC).
NBA Betting has the Thunder as a 6.5-point favorite and the over/under total at 197.
Head-to-head, both teams are 5-5 straight up in the past 10 meetings, and Oklahoma City has a slight edge against the spread at 6-4 ATS. But Memphis dominated the four-game season series, going 3-1 straight up and against the point spread. The Grizzlies won the last meeting 107-101 on March 7, cashing as a 3-point home favorite.
The No. 8 seed in the West, Memphis should be on a high after accomplishing what just three teams before them have managed in NBA Playoffs history: eliminating the No. 1 seed in the conference in the first round. The Grizzlies beat the No. 1 San Antonio Spurs in six games, the first time a No. 8 has knocked off a No. 1 since the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks four years ago. Memphis is just the fourth team in NBA history to accomplish the feat.
Memphis closed out the series with a 99-91 win Friday, cashing as a 3-point road underdog. The score went over the total of 189.
The 4th-seeded Thunder (55-27 SU, 43-38-1 ATS) made short work of the Denver Nuggets, winning the best-of-seven series in five games. Oklahoma City closed out the series with a 100-97 win on Wednesday, but failed to cover as a 6.5-point home favorite. The score went under the total of 205.
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