Grizzlies vs. Suns Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31)

The Grizzlies may be undervalued as road dogs -- even with Ja Morant out.

The Grizzlies may be undervalued as road dogs -- even with Ja Morant out. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

It’s been a rough start to the season for the Phoenix Suns, who are under .500 and currently hold the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference entering Tuesday’s New Year’s Eve matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Memphis – the current No. 2 seed in the Western Conference – is coming off a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder by 24 points on Sunday night. Still, the Grizzlies are in a much better spot than the Suns right now in the 2024-25 season.

Phoenix has struggled without Kevin Durant (1-9 in the 10 games that he’s missed) and Devin Booker (1-4 in the five games that he’s missed) leading to a 3-7 record over their last 10 games.

Can Phoenix – who has been much better at home – right the ship at Footprint Center?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to consider betting in the prop market and my prediction for this Western Conference showdown. 

Grizzlies vs. Suns Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Grizzlies +5.5 (-108)
• Suns -5.5 (-112)

Moneyline

• Grizzlies: +185
• Suns: -225

Total

• 235.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Grizzlies vs. Suns How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, Dec. 31
• Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Footprint Center
• How to Watch (TV): Bally Sports, Arizona's Family Sports
• Grizzlies record: 22-11
• Suns record: 15-16

Grizzlies vs. Suns Injury Reports

Grizzlies Injury Report

• Santi Aldama – out
• Brandon Clarke – out
• Ja Morant – out
• Zach Edey – out
• GG Jackson – out
• Yuki Kawamura – questionable
• Jake LaRavia – out
• Marcus Smart – out
• Vince Williams Jr. – out

Suns Injury Report

• Grayson Allen – probable
• Devin Booker – questionable
• Bol Bol – questionable
• Jalen Bridges – out
• Jusuf Nurkic – out
• Collin Gillespie – out
• Royce O’Neale – out
• TyTy Washington – out

Grizzlies vs. Suns Best NBA Prop Bets

Memphis Grizzlies Best NBA Prop Bet

• Scotty Pippen Jr. Double-Double (+450)

Looking for a bit of a longshot prop in this matchup?

Grizzlies backup point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. should be in line for a massive workload with both Morant and Smart out of the lineup, and he’s already recorded four double-doubles in the 13 games that Morant has missed this season.

Overall, with Ja out, Pippen is averaging 14.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. 

Phoenix Suns Best NBA Prop Bet

• Bradley Beal UNDER 5.5 Rebounds (-160)

We have to lay some juice on this prop, but Suns guard Bradley Beal is averaging just 3.9 rebounds per game, clearing 5.5 boards in just four of his 21 matchups. 

Memphis ranks No. 2 in the NBA in rebounding percentage, so this isn’t exactly a favorable matchup for Beal. Overall, the star guard is averaging just 7.0 rebound chances per game this season, an extremely low ceiling for a player set at 5.5 boards.

I’ll gladly fade him on Tuesday night. 

Grizzlies vs. Suns Prediction and Pick

With Ja Morant out, Memphis is set as an underdog in this game, but I’m not totally sold on Ja being the end all be all for this Grizzlies roster.

Yes, there are a few other rotation players also out, but there’s a chance Devin Booker (questionable) misses yet another game for Phoenix as well.

The Grizzlies are 8-5 in the 13 games that Morant has missed this season, losing just two of those matchups by more than five points. 

In the 2024-25 campaign, Memphis is 4-3 against the spread as a road underdog and ranks fourth in the NBA in net rating.

Meanwhile, the Suns are really struggling even with Durant back in the lineup, going 3-10 against the spread when favored at home. 

I’ll take the points with Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. still holding down the fort for Memphis. 

Pick: Grizzlies +5.5 (-108)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.