How To Watch NBA Playoffs First-Round: Lakers at Grizzlies Game 1
The 2022-23 NBA regular season has come to an end and with the Play-In Tournament coming to an end, it is officially time for the playoffs to begin!
On Sunday afternoon, the first-round series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies will begin, as the two teams will meet in Memphis for Game 1.
Led by their two All-Stars in Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies recorded their second consecutive 50-win season.
One of the best defensive and rebounding teams in the entire league, Memphis will enter the playoffs without two key big men in Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke.
Their core of Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane will be tough to stop offensively, but where else the Grizzlies will receive production remains the big question mark, especially against a Los Angeles Lakers team that has improved a lot defensively during the second half of the season.
The Lakers have been one of the best teams in the league during the second half of the regular season and with both LeBron James and Anthony Davis healthy, there are no limits to what this team can achieve.
They had a rocky start to their postseason play in the Play-In Tournament, but a win is a win and now, they will be ready to go in their first-round series against Memphis.
Will the Lakers quiet the Memphis faithful in Game 1 or will the Grizzlies take the early advantage in this series with a win?
Here's how to watch Sunday’s game, with game time and TV, lineups, bios and other must-know details.
How to watch Lakers vs. Grizzlies
WHO: Los Angeles Lakers (0-0) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (0-0)
WHAT: 2023 NBA Western Conference Playoffs: First-Round, Game 1
WHEN: 3:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, April 16
WHERE: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee
TV: ABC
Key Stats & Facts For Lakers vs. Grizzlies
- The Lakers and Grizzlies faced off three times during the regular season with the Lakers winning two of the three games played, however, the Grizzlies outscored Los Angeles by 2 points.
- The Grizzlies finished the regular season ranking 15th in offensive rating and 2nd in defensive rating, while the Lakers finished the regular season ranking 20th in offensive rating and 11th in defensive rating.
- Memphis is 35-6 at home this season and Los Angeles is 20-21 on the road.
Last Matchup:
March 7, 2023 - Lakers 112, Grizzlies 103
Without LeBron James, Anthony Davis had himself a monster game in the Lakers final regular season game against the Grizzlies, dropping 30 points, 22 rebounds and 2 blocks. Dennis Schroder, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves all had 17 points each for Los Angeles. With Ja Morant out, the Grizzlies turned to Jaren Jackson Jr. in this one, as the first time All-Star finished with 26 points and 8 rebounds. As a team, Memphis shot 38.7 percent from the floor.
Latest Injury News:
Lakers Injuries: Dennis Schroder (Achilles) - Probable, LeBron James (foot) - Probable, Anthony Davis (foot) - Probable
Grizzlies Injuries: Steven Adams (knee) - Out, Brandon Clarke (Achilles) - Out, Jake LaRavia (calf) - Out
Projected Starters:
PROJECTED LAKERS STARTERS:
- G D’Angelo Russell, 6-4 guard: 17.4 points, 6.1 assists (2022-23 regular season stats)
- G Austin Reaves, 6-5 guard: 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists
- F LeBron James (P), 6-9 forward, 6-7 forward: 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists
- F Jarred Vanderbilt, 6-9 forward: 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds
- F/C Anthony Davis (P), 6-10 forward/center: 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds
PROJECTED GRIZZLIES STARTERS:
- G Ja Morant, 6-3 guard: 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists
- G Desmond Bane, 6-5 guard: 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds
- F Dillon Brooks, 6-8 forward, 6-7 forward: 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds
- F Jaren Jackson Jr., 6-11 forward: 18.6 points, 6.8 rebounds
- C Xavier Tillman Sr., 6-8 center: 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds
Betting Odds:
- The Grizzlies are currently 3.5-point favorites over the Lakers as of Sunday morning, according to SI Sportsbook.
- The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 227.5 total points.
What to watch for:
- The Memphis Grizzlies are back in the postseason for the third consecutive season after making the Western Conference Semifinals a season ago.
- The Los Angeles Lakers are back in the postseason for the first time since 2021. They won the 2020 NBA Finals.
- Memphis is 46-11 this season when they score at least 110 points. Los Angeles is 41-21 this season when they score at least 110 points.
- The Grizzlies and Lakers have never met in the playoffs before this season.
Be sure to catch up on the newest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak's own Brett Siegel!
Streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, The Fast Break Podcast takes you inside the league with the latest news, intel, rumors and interviews from those close to the action for all 30 teams. Be on the lookout for a new episodes every Friday.
