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Table of Contents
Match Facts
Memphis finally looks like it has found something. The Grizzlies have won three straight and five of six, and four of those victories have come on the road. The latest was a 115-107 win in Sacramento where rookie center Zach Edey put together the best game of his young career with 32 points on 16-for-20 shooting and 17 rebounds. He completely controlled the glass down the stretch, scoring all six points in a late lead-changing run and choking off second-chance opportunities. Memphis is still doing all of this without Ja Morant and with almost no healthy point guards, but Tuomas Iisalo has the group buying into a straightforward identity: defend, rebound, and grind out enough half-court offense to win ugly.
San Antonio returns to the Frost Bank Center from a 2-2 road trip that included momentum-boosting wins over Portland and Denver in NBA Cup play, but also a frustrating 125-112 loss in Minnesota. The Spurs led by four going into the fourth and then got run over 36-19 in the final period as their defensive activity and ball pressure evaporated. They did all that work without Victor Wembanyama (calf) and Stephon Castle (hip flexor), and neither is expected back for this game. De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson have been carrying the scoring load, but the margin for error without their star center and rookie playmaker is thin.
For a broader snapshot of how both of these teams fit into the league landscape, full team profiles are available on the NBA teams hub via the dedicated NBA teams page.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs |
| Venue | Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX |
| Date / Time | Tuesday, December 2, 2025 – 8:00 PM ET |
| Records | Grizzlies 9-12, Spurs 13-6 |
Line and Odds
San Antonio still gets respect at home despite the injury situation. Memphis’ recent surge has tightened the number, but the Spurs remain the side laying points.
| Market | Grizzlies | Spurs |
|---|---|---|
| Spread | +5.5 (-115) | -5.5 (-106) |
| Moneyline | – | – |
| Total Points* | 231.5 (projected market range) |
For up-to-the-minute pricing, alternate spreads and live totals, bettors can monitor the board on the league-wide NBA scores and odds screen.
Movement Matchup
Memphis’ “movement” is as much psychological as statistical. A team that looked dead in the water early has quietly become one of the more annoying road opponents in the league. They have cobbled together an offense without Morant or a true healthy point guard by leaning into size and toughness. Edey’s performance in Sacramento was the blueprint: dominate the glass, finish efficiently around the rim, and suck the life out of opponents’ second-chance possessions. Cam Spencer, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cedric Coward all reached double figures in that win, underscoring how balanced the scoring can be when the ball moves. Iisalo’s comment about “heads down, day to day” work is not just coach-speak; the team clearly trusts the system more now than it did during the early season spiral.
San Antonio’s recent form is more volatile. On the one hand, the Spurs went on the road, beat Portland and Denver, and punched a ticket to the NBA Cup quarterfinals without Wembanyama. On the other, they then got outscored by 17 in the fourth quarter in Minnesota because their defensive edge disappeared. Mitch Johnson was blunt about the turning point: zero turnovers forced in the third quarter, no presence on or off the ball, and a noticeable drop in “activity-resistance and togetherness.” That is the curse of a young, short-handed team: effort and connectivity can swing wildly by quarter, and without Wembanyama to erase mistakes, every lapse is magnified. The tension now is whether the comfort of being back home stabilizes them or whether some of those bad habits follow them into this matchup.
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Breakdown Injury Reports
Injuries are the defining context for both teams, especially at the top of the roster. Here is where things stand.
Memphis Grizzlies
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Ja Morant (G) | Out | Right calf |
| Scotty Pippen Jr. (G) | Out | Toe |
| Ty Jerome (G) | Out | Calf |
| Javon Small (G) | Out | Toe |
San Antonio Spurs
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama (C) | Out | Calf |
| Stephon Castle (G) | Out | Hip flexor |
The Grizzlies are surviving without an actual point guard. The Spurs are trying to navigate games without their franchise center and rookie creator. Both situations massively shape how each side plays on both ends of the floor.
Memphis Grizzlies Recent Performance
The Grizzlies’ early season story was a mess: no Ja, a revolving door of guard injuries, and an offense that looked stuck in the mud. Over the last six games, that has flipped. Memphis has won five of six, four of those victories on the road, and the identity is clear. Edey has given them a true anchor. His 32-point, 17-rebound explosion in Sacramento was not just about shot volume; it was about attitude. His emphasis on eliminating second-chance points, cleaning the glass, and “finishing possessions” is exactly what this roster needed. When he owns the paint, everyone else’s job gets simpler.
The supporting cast has taken the hint. Spencer, Wells, Jackson and Caldwell-Pope are all comfortable playing off a dominant interior presence, attacking closeouts and spacing the floor. Jackson can toggle between help defender and secondary scorer, and Caldwell-Pope brings championship habits on the wing. The big statistical edge is on the boards; Memphis ranks near the top of the league in rebounding, which covers for their lack of true creators by giving them more bites at the apple. Their free throw efficiency is another quiet lever; ranking near the top ten from the line, they convert the physicality and paint touches generated by Edey and Jackson into reliable points.
The biggest concern remains ball-handling and late-game offense. Without Morant or a traditional point guard, end-of-clock possessions can get stuck, and pressure defenses can still rattle their secondary handlers. But on this current run, Iisalo has simplified things enough that the group is executing within a tighter, more realistic framework.
San Antonio Spurs Recent Performance
San Antonio’s 13-6 record is impressive given the absences, but their performances have been more uneven lately. The road trip showed both extremes. Against Denver and Portland, the Spurs’ ball pressure, pace and shot-making all clicked. They defended with energy, got into passing lanes and turned stops into easy transition points. That is the version of this team that can beat anyone on a given night, even without Wembanyama.
The loss in Minnesota painted the other side. Leading by four entering the fourth quarter, the Spurs simply stopped getting stops. No turnovers forced in the third, little ball pressure, and a passive collective posture allowed the Timberwolves to walk into comfortable looks. Offensively, the numbers are still strong. San Antonio is one of the better shooting teams in the league by field goal percentage and scores close to 119 points per game. Vassell and Johnson put up 22 apiece in Minnesota, and Fox continues to be a high-end pick-and-roll creator and mid-range killer. Rookie Dylan Harper’s 17 points were a reminder that this is not a two-man show.
Defensively, though, the lack of a backline eraser is glaring. Without Wembanyama, they must be pristine in their shell, rotations and closeouts because there is no 7-foot-4 safety net behind mistakes. When the activity drops, so does their defensive ceiling. Johnson has been clear: the standard is about “presence on and off the basketball,” and when that disappears, so does their winning formula.
Betting Insights and Trends
Memphis plus the points is immediately intriguing when you look at road form and matchup. Four of their five recent wins have come away from home, and their rebounding edge travels. Against a Spurs team missing Wembanyama and Castle, the Grizzlies should have a real advantage on the glass and in second-chance opportunities. Their recent three-game winning streak is not built on flukes; it is built on dominating the paint and outworking opponents.
San Antonio remains a dangerous favorite at home, and the 8-2 home record backs that up. Their offense is efficient, their free throw volume is strong, and they have multiple scorers who can get hot. If their defensive energy matches what they showed in Denver and Portland, the number becomes more justifiable. If they repeat their third-quarter and fourth-quarter malaise from Minnesota, they are vulnerable to being dragged into a one- or two-possession game late.
The total hovering in the low 230s reflects the blend of strong offensive output and moderate defensive efficiency on both sides. Memphis’ recent games have been more controlled, and their reliance on half-court sets through Edey can slow pace. San Antonio can push tempo, but without Wembanyama sprinting the floor and anchoring transition defense, Johnson may favor slightly more controlled possessions. How that tug-of-war resolves will drive the total outcome.
For a wider view of how this matchup compares to others on the board and where the strongest edges show up numerically, daily projections and sides are outlined in the NBA picks section.
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This matchup comes down to trust in Memphis’ newfound identity versus San Antonio’s home edge and offensive polish. The Grizzlies have been road-tough, winning four of their last five away from home, and their rebounding advantage against a Spurs team missing its franchise center is significant. The Spurs still have the better overall record and more perimeter creators, but their defensive inconsistency without Wembanyama is hard to ignore.
Projected Score: Spurs 115, Grizzlies 112
With that projection, the preference is to grab Memphis plus the points at +5.5. The rebounding edge, recent form and San Antonio’s defensive volatility all support the idea of a tight game that could swing either way in the final minutes. On the total, a projected combined 227 leans under a 231.5-type number, especially if Memphis successfully turns this into a physical, half-court battle built around Edey’s presence inside.
Spread lean: Grizzlies +5.5
Total lean: Under 231.5
For bettors building a full card or tying this into broader strategy, including futures on emerging teams like Memphis or macro angles on Western Conference races, the NBA expert betting guide connects single-game edges with long-term market positioning.
