Rockets vs. Grizzlies prediction: NBA Thursday picks, odds, best bets

Social media’s rise has changed how sports bettors handicap games.From tracking beat reporters for a player’s availability to accessing other nuggets or quotes from those close to the team, the information is available and helpful. But this is a first for me. Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has deactivated his X account, and I am now analyzing the role that plays for their next game. Perhaps this is an individual’s version of when the players call a team meeting, serving as a hard reset.Or maybe it is nonsense.

Time will tell. Morant is mired in a slight rut, scoring less than 20 points in four straight games, while shooting just 19-for-47 from the field (40.4 percent). The Grizz won three of those games, but they were just blown out 143-106 by the New York Knicks in a game that was as ugly as the score suggests.It’s not the end of the world, but for a team that sits third in the Western Conference standings and had been riding a six-game win streak, it was an eye-opener. Memphis leads the NBA in scoring at 123.3 ppg, but barely hit the century mark.

The Grizzlies also looked inept under pressure, racking up a season-high 26 turnovers that led to 36 Knicks points. The postgame comments were expected, citing “physicality” and other coach speak.So is this a blip on the radar or does Morant’s social media hiatus warrant various wagers on his prop bets? The NBA is a long season, especially at this juncture.

We are past the midpoint but have not yet reached the All-Star break.I am willing to write off that performance from a team that otherwise was in a great groove. The Houston Rockets visit Memphis on Thursday, looking to complete the season sweep of their four meetings.

I am not quite ready to back Memphis as a small home favorite, although I do expect a strong effort off that ugly loss. My favorite play is Under 236 (-110, ESPN BET), even though the Over is 2-0-1 in the teams’ first three meetings.I expect better ball security t...