Memphis vs. Cleveland NBA Odds

Memphis vs. Cleveland NBA odds opened at Cavaliers -10 ½ and has since settled in at -10.  

The Cleveland Cavaliers seem poised to be going on one of those spread-covering runs that bettors embrace and the "House" fears, where it looks like they can beat the line regardless of how high odds-makers set it. On Tuesday, the Cavs play host to the Memphis Grizzlies, who are much improved and come in off a win over the Lakers last night. Still, Sportsbook.com has the line set at Cleveland -10.5.

Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown says he'd prefer close wins, but he's definitely enjoying his team's recent stretch of blowout victories. The NBA-leading Cavaliers look to extend their season-high winning streak to nine Tuesday night when they aim to continue their run of home success against the menacing Memphis Grizzlies. Cleveland (38-11, 25-23-1 ATS), which moved one game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the league's best record after the defending champions lost 95-93 at Memphis (26-21, 27-20 ATS) on Monday, has won its last three by an average of 20.0 points. The Cavaliers won the first five games on their current streak by a margin of 3.4 per game.

"The more close games you win, the tougher you can become because when you have close games down the stretch it puts a mental and physical stress on you that you have to try to deal with," Brown said following Monday's practice. "Close games are good, but every once in a while, blowouts are also fun because you don't have to worry about going through that added stress."

There wasn't much stress in Sunday's 114-89 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Cavaliers tied an NBA record with 11 3-pointers in the opening 12 minutes, propelling them to a franchise-best 46 points in a quarter. LeBron James, the league's third-leading scorer with 29.4 points per game, hit five 3s and scored 23 of his 32 points in the first quarter as Cleveland won eight in a row for the first time since a 13-game run March 7-31. "There's no description of a player getting into the zone like that. It just happens," James said. "And when it happens, everything you put up, you feel like it's going in." The Cavs have also been in the zone for backers, with 9-1 ATS record in home games after three consecutive covers as a favorite over the last two seasons, winning by a crushing margin of 17.3 points per game.

James was likely in that zone in Memphis on Dec. 8, hitting four 3-pointers and scoring 43 points, but it wasn't enough to lead his club to victory. After Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley scooped in a shot with three seconds remaining in overtime, James missed a 30-footer at the buzzer and Cleveland fell 111-109. Since snapping a seven-game slide to the Cavaliers and a six-game overtime skid in that contest, the Grizzlies are 10-4 SU and ATS in games decided by six points or fewer.

Memphis, though, has dropped four of five on the road as well as its last five visits (3-2 ATS) to Cleveland. The Grizzlies also must face a Cavaliers team that's won 17 of 18 at Quicken Loans Arena (8-10 ATS). "I told the guys in the locker room that it is not like college. You can't go play Sacred Heart tomorrow, you have the Cleveland Cavaliers," Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins told the team's official Web site Monday. "It just keeps coming. That's the beauty of this game. That is what competition is all about. If you are a competitor, you will get your juices flowing again tomorrow." In this case, the next game means Memphis is 19-4 ATS after playing a home game this season.

Memphis will likely need another big game from All-Star forward Zach Randolph to win its first game in Cleveland since a 122-115 double-overtime victory on Nov. 29, 2003. The 2003-04 season was also the last time the Grizzlies swept their annual two-game series with the Cavs. Randolph, who had 32 points, 14 rebounds and four steals in the Dec. 8 victory over the Cavaliers, has posted a double-double in each of his last five games, averaging 22.6 points and 14.8 boards in that span. He is one of two players in the NBA, along with Toronto's Chris Bosh, averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game on the season.

Sportsbook.com has Cleveland as 10.5-point favorites with total of 200.5. The Cavs are 12-3 ATS playing clubs with win percentage between 51 to 60 percent in the second half of the season and are 8-1 UNDER off a home win by 10 points or more during this campaign. This young, talented Memphis squad is growing in confidence and why not, sporting 15-2 ATS record off a home win this season and is 15-4 OVER as a road underdog.

This matchup is on local FOX affiliates starting at 7:00 Eastern and it is noteworthy the Cavs are 6-10 ATS as double digit favorites during this season.

Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter