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Bulls look to stay hot Friday hosting Grizzlies
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox
Published: 3/7/2014  at  5:58:00 AM
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MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (34-26)

at CHICAGO BULLS (34-27)

Tip-off: Friday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Chicago -2, Total: 181

The Grizzlies wrap up a three-game road trip on Friday when they visit a red-hot Bulls team that has won 10 of its past 12 games.

Memphis has won seven of its past 10 contests (5-5 ATS), but its offense sputtered in Wednesday's 103-94 loss in Brooklyn. The club shot only 43% FG to end a three-game streak of draining at least 50% from the floor. The Grizzlies are a strong 16-12 SU (16-11-1 ATS) on the road this season, but they are only 3-5 SU (4-4 ATS) away from home since the start of February. Chicago's most recent loss also came in Brooklyn on Monday, but the club bounced back with an easy 105-94 road win in Detroit on Wednesday, scoring 100+ points for the fifth time during its 5-1 surge (SU and ATS). Now the Bulls return home where they are 18-10 SU (15-13 ATS) this season and limit opponents to a paltry 89.8 PPG on 41.6% FG. In the first meeting this season on Dec. 30, 5-point underdog Chicago pulled out the 95-91 win by making 6-of-15 threes and holding Memphis to zero long-range connections (0-for-5 threes). That snapped a three-game series win streak (SU and ATS) for the Grizzlies, who made this series an even 10-10 (SU and ATS) in the past 20 meetings. But in the 18 all-time meetings at United Center, the Bulls hold a commanding 14-4 SU advantage (11-7 ATS). Both teams have positive betting trends, as Memphis is 51-30 ATS (63%) when facing a winning team in the past two seasons, while Chicago has gone 35-15 ATS (70%) when playing on Friday nights under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Both teams have their star big men hurting for this matchup with Grizzlies PF Zach Randolph questionable due to an illness and Bulls C Joakim Noah probable with a thumb injury.

Can the Bulls stay hot and take down the Grizzlies on Friday? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks throughout the entire 2012-13 season. The five StatFox experts have been profitable in NBA Best Bets recently with a 53.3% ATS record (48-42-1) since Feb. 10. StatFox Dave has a strong 57.4% ATS (39-29-1) Best Bets record since Dec. 1 and is 53.3% ATS (49-43-1) on Best Bets for the season. StatFox Brian remains red-hot, going 63.3% ATS (19-11-1) since Jan. 25 and 57.6% ATS (34-25-1) in Best Bets since Dec. 12. StatFox Zach has a profitable 53.8% ATS mark (35-30-3) on Best Bets since Dec. 1.

Memphis has been a poor offensive team this season in terms of scoring (95.7 PPG, 25th in NBA), but it shoots a blistering 46.0% FG (8th in league). Rebounding has been average (42.1 RPG, 20th in NBA), but the Grizzlies defense is top-notch, allowing only 95.2 PPG (3rd in league) on 45.0% FG (10th in NBA). Memphis is knocking on the door of the Western Conference playoff picture, sitting just one game behind the eighth-place Mavericks, but did not look like a playoff team in Wednesday's loss to the Nets. However, star PF Zach Randolph (17.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG) sat out that game with flu-like symptoms and hopes to play Friday against the Bulls. Memphis will need its big man, who leads the team in scoring and rebounding, against a massive Bulls front line that held Randolph to 10 points on 4-of-15 FG in the Dec. 30 meeting. C Marc Gasol (13.6 PPG, 6.5 RPG) missed that meeting versus Chicago with a knee injury, but has averaged a solid 11.3 PPG (53% FG) and 7.9 RPG in nine career games against Friday's opponent. Gasol will need to play well defensively (1.3 BPG, 1.1 SPG) and make Chicago center Joakim Noah work on both ends of the floor. PG Mike Conley (17.3 PPG, 6.2 APG, 1.5 SPG) really struggled in the loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday, finishing with just two points (0-of-8 FG), three assists and six turnovers in 21 minutes. Conley had a huge game against the Bulls in the last meeting though, with 26 points, nine assists, six rebounds and six steals in 37 minutes of play. PF James Johnson (8.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.3 BPG) has been excellent for Memphis since being acquired. His energy off the bench really helps the second unit, and last game against Chicago he had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds with three blocks and three assists in just 24 minutes. His play could really boost Memphis’ chances of picking up a big road victory here.

Chicago is a similar team to its Friday opponent, scoring a league-worst 93.3 PPG on a terrible 43.1% FG (3rd-worst in NBA) and 34.2% threes (6th-worst in league). But defensively, the Bulls always dig in, allowing a mere 92.3 PPG (2nd in NBA) on 43.2% FG (also 2nd in league) and 35.8% threes (14th in NBA). They are also a better rebounding team than Memphis with 45.1 RPG (7th in league). Chicago is coming off a 105-94 victory over the Pistons on Wednesday thanks to the heroics of C Joakim Noah (12.0 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.8 APG), who had a triple-double in the victory (10 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds). This marked Noah’s third triple-double in the past 11 games where he's averaged 13.3 PPG (55% FG), 11.5 RPG and 7.2 APG. His matchup with Marc Gasol could decide which team ultimately wins this game, and Noah didn't shoot very well against a Gasol-less Grizzlies team on Dec. 30, scoring just eight points on 2-of-9 FG, but still pitched in defensively with 10 boards, three blocks and three steals in that victory. Another player who has really taken his game to another level recently is PG D.J. Augustin (11.6 PPG, 4.5 APG). Augustin is averaging 21.7 PPG (55% FG, 7-of-15 threes) over the past three games, including 26 points and six assists in 31 minutes in the win over Detroit. In the last meeting between these two teams, Augustin had 10 points (2-of-8 FG), nine assists and four steals. SG Jimmy Butler (12.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG) was the hero in that Dec. 30 win in Memphis with 26 points and four rebounds. Butler is also playing well recently with 17.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.0 APG and 2.6 SPG over the past five games, and his play on the perimeter will be crucial against a team that operates more in the paint.


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