Memphis Grizzlies at Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA forecast
The short version
- No betting line is up yet, so this is our pre-line forecast: the Cavaliers at 63%, from our Elo ratings and what past lines said about each team. It switches to the line once one posts.
- Behind that number: the Cavaliers rate higher (1548 to 1443 Elo), lineup changes favor the Grizzlies and the Cavaliers have home court.
What's at stake
Each team's chance to make the playoffs if it wins this game and if it loses, from 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season.
Grizzlies
Now 7%
8%
with a win
7%
with a loss
This game is worth 1 point of playoff chance to them.
Cavaliers
Now 93%
93%
with a win
92%
with a loss
This game is worth 2 points of playoff chance to them.
The pick
No line is posted yet, so this is the pre-line forecast: Elo blended with ratings learned from past lines. It switches to the line once one is posted.
Cavaliers 63%
Forecast Elo ratings alone
How often that comes true: NBA favorites the forecast gave 60–65% have won 61.5% of 392 graded games.
- Market
- No line yet
- Pre-line forecast
- CLE 63%
- Elo + market-implied
- Elo ratings
- CLE -2
- CLE 58%
- Fair odds
- CLE -172
- MEM +172 · the forecast as odds, no margin
- Projected score
- MEM 113.9 – 118.0 CLE
- Margin from the forecast, total from team scoring ratings
How the number is built
Elo inputs in rating points (higher favors that team; 25–28 Elo is about a point of spread in football and basketball), then how the pieces combine.
| Factor | MEM | CLE | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team rating | 1443 | 1548 | Elo entering the game; 1500 is league average |
| Home field | — | +36 | Worth 36 Elo in the NBA |
| Lineups | +65 | −17 | MEM: Missing Scotty Pippen Jr. −3, Richie Saunders −1 · otherwise stronger than recent lineups · CLE: Weaker than its recent lineups (from the injury report) |
| Elo ratings | CLE +58 Elo | CLE 58.3% | |
| Market-implied ratings | CLE 63.8% | Team strength as past closing lines priced it, same game context | |
| Pre-line forecast | CLE 63.2% | 10% Elo, 90% market-implied (log-odds blend) | |
Tale of the tape
This season coming into the game, regular season, each number with its league rank (the longer the bar, the higher). Home and road: the host's record at home against the visitor's on the road. Opponent Elo: how strong the teams each has played are, 1st the toughest. Adjusted: the scoring model’s ratings a game, which account for who they played. Offense and defense are points per 100 possessions, which sets aside how fast a team plays.
| MEM | Stat | CLE |
|---|---|---|
| 7th of 30117.9 | Points scored | 116.510th of 30 |
| 11th of 30110.8 | Points allowed | 115.019th of 30 |
| 9th of 30+7.1 | Margin | +1.515th of 30 |
| 7th of 30114.9 | Offense rating | 113.313th of 30 |
| 9th of 30108.0 | Defense rating | 111.815th of 30 |
| 15th of 30101.4 | Pace | 102.010th of 30 |
| 1st of 305–0 | Road vs home | 4–28th of 30 |
| 30th of 301437 | Opponent Elo | 151513th of 30 |
| 22nd of 301443 | Elo rating | 154810th of 30 |
| 15th of 30+0.6 | Offense, adjusted | +2.16th of 30 |
| 22nd of 30−2.0 | Defense, adjusted | −0.516th of 30 |
Who's playing
Each team's projected rotation from its current roster and the latest injury report. Minutes follow each player's usual role, with absent players' minutes handed to the rest. The Elo badge compares tonight's lineup with the team's recent ones.
Grizzlies
+65 Elo| Player | Min | Rating | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Boozer | 30 | 18.6 | Available |
| Ty Jerome | 29 | 26.7 | Available |
| Cedric Coward | 26 | 20.2 | Available |
| Jaylen Wells | 25 | 15.5 | Available |
| Jerami Grant | 22 | 16.5 | Available |
| Zach Edey | 21 | 22.1 | Available |
| Javon Small | 21 | 17.5 | Available |
| Cam Spencer | 19 | 20.1 | Available |
| GG Jackson | 12 | 16.6 | Available |
| Isaiah Stewart | 9 | 17.6 | Day-To-Day |
| Kris Murray | 9 | 13.0 | Available |
| Taylor Hendricks | 7 | 13.2 | Available |
Cavaliers
−17 Elo| Player | Min | Rating | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan Mitchell | 31 | 28.1 | Available |
| James Harden | 31 | 23.2 | Available |
| Evan Mobley | 30 | 24.4 | Available |
| Peyton Watson | 25 | 16.5 | Available |
| Meleek Thomas | 22 | 17.9 | Available |
| Jarrett Allen | 22 | 26.0 | Available |
| Mario Hezonja | 20 | 17.4 | Available |
| Tyrese Proctor | 19 | 17.5 | Available |
| Thomas Bryant | 11 | 18.9 | Available |
| Craig Porter Jr. | 11 | 17.2 | Available |
| Riley Minix | 7 | 18.9 | Available |
| Ernest Udeh Jr. | 5 | 17.9 | Available |
Rating history
Each team's Elo over the last two seasons. Hover or drag to compare on any date.
Injury report
Current ESPN report. Elo values show what the model subtracts.
Grizzlies
4 listedIsaiah Stewart C
Day-To-DayStewart (knee) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game versus the Nuggets.
Scotty Pippen Jr. G
OutPippen (back) remains out for Wednesday's game against Denver, Michael Wallace of the Grizzlies' official site reports.
Quinten Post C
OutPost (concussion) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Nuggets.
Richie Saunders G
OutSaunders signed a two-way contract with the Grizzlies on Saturday, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Cavaliers
2 listedSam Merrill G
OutMerrill (elbow) is listed as out for Wednesday's game against the Knicks.
Jaylon Tyson G
OutTyson (ankle) is questionable to face the Knicks on Wednesday.
Recent form
Last five results, and whether the forecast hit.
Against the line
How each team has done against the closing spread and total, coming into this game.
| This season |  MEM |  CLE |
|---|---|---|
| Against the spread | 5–3 | 2–7 |
| Last 10 | 5–3 | 2–7 |
| Favorite | 3–2 | 1–5 |
| Underdog | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Overs–unders | 2–6 | 5–4 |
| Overs–unders, last 10 | 2–6 | 5–4 |
Against each game's closing line. Books set every line knowing these records: across 3,901 past games, the team with the better record against the spread so far that season covered 51.2%, short of the 52.4% a standard −110 bet needs, and over/under streaks held 48.0% of the time. They describe the past.
Head to head
MEM 0–6 CLE in their last 6 meetings; the forecast called 6 of 6.