They meet Wednesday, April 8, in Denver with the Nuggets still chasing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and the Grizzlies sliding through a brutal late-season stretch. Memphis has lost 18 of its last 20 games, and the gap between the teams shows up in nearly every number attached to this matchup.
For readers searching where to watch Memphis Grizzlies vs Denver Nuggets, the bigger draw is the mismatch on the floor. Nikola Jokic leads the NBA with 12.9 rebounds per game and has grabbed 14 or more boards in seven of his last eight contests, while also dishing at least 12 assists in seven of his last eight games. He has scored more than 30 points in three of his last five, making him the most complete force in the game and the central reason Denver remains in seeding position.
Memphis, by contrast, has been pulled apart inside. The Grizzlies traded away Jaren Jackson Jr., have shut down Zach Edey and Santi Aldama, and now rank 26th in the NBA in rebounding rate at 48.1 percent. Since the start of March, that figure has dropped to 43.4 percent. Over the last 15 games, Memphis has allowed a league-worst 50.9 rebounds per game, and over its last 10 it has surrendered 129.8 points per game. Those are not isolated bad nights; they are the numbers of a team that cannot stop the damage once it starts.
Read Also: Trail Blazers Vs Nuggets: Portland Travels, Sharpe Out and Grant Ruled Out
The same pattern shows up early. Memphis has carried an average first-half margin of minus-11.0 over its last 10 games, which is a bad sign against a Denver team that has covered the second-quarter spread in 14 of its last 20 home games. The betting angles lean the Nuggets’ way as well, with Aaron Gordon clearing 15.5 points in three of his last five games and coming off a 23-point performance against Portland. Denver does not need a perfect night to create separation. It only needs Memphis to keep being Memphis.
The question now is not whether the Grizzlies can compete with a team built around Jokic. It is whether they can keep the game respectable long enough to avoid another quick collapse. Denver has the seed to chase. Memphis looks like a team running out the clock.
