The final NBA Play-In Tournament game for 2021 is from the Western Conference on Friday night, as former Raptor Jonas Valanciunas and the Memphis Grizzlies visit Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors opened as 3.5-point favourites on the NBA odds with a total of 222.

Grizzlies vs. Warriors NBA Playoff Odds

Statistically speaking, these Play-In Tournament games don’t count toward the regular season or the playoffs. They are in some sort of nebulous in-between, which is absurd. They should be playoff games, just like the First Four is part of the NCAA Tournament.

The loser of Friday’s game is done for the season, while the winner will travel to the Western Conference top-seeded Utah Jazz for Game 1 of a first round series on Sunday. The Grizzlies would be bigger underdogs against Utah than the Warriors. You can also bet the NBA and its TV partners, I promise, want the Warriors to win this game, simply so NBA scoring champion and future Hall of Famer Steph Curry can be showcased in the playoffs.

Golden State was 2-1 vs. Memphis this year, and they met in the season finale on Sunday in San Francisco; the Warriors clinched the No. 8 seed with a 113-101 victory. Steph Curry, 33, clinched the scoring title with 46 points, becoming the oldest scoring champion since Michael Jordan at age 35 in 1998. Curry also added nine assists and seven rebounds. Former Raptor Jonas Valanciunas had 29 points and 16 rebounds for the Grizzlies and Ja Morant added 16 points and nine assists.

Memphis is 3-8 against the spread in their past 11 at Golden State. The under is 4-0 in the past four there.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies were 4-point home favourites Wednesday and beat San Antonio 100-96 – almost surely ending the Spurs career of former Raptors star DeMar DeRozan, who is set for free agency. He tied for the team lead with 20 points in the game, but was 5-for-21 shooting. The Spurs only hit 35.1 per cent overall. Jonas Valanciunas has had a monster season for Memphis and was huge in the victory with 23 points and 23 rebounds. He was the first player in franchise history to have 20 points and 20 rebounds by the end of the third quarter of a game. Mississauga’s Dillon Brooks had 24 points and seven rebounds while playing great defence on DeRozan, and former Rookie of the Year Ja Morant had 20 points, six assists and six rebounds. Memphis is 1-7 ATS in their past eight games following a win.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors closed +6 at the Lakers on Wednesday and led by 13 at halftime, but they would lose 103-100, thanks in large part to a long three-pointer from LeBron James with 58.2 seconds remaining. Golden State had a chance to send it into OT, but Kent Bazemore had a bad inbound pass in the final seconds. LeBron had a triple-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists despite being poked in the eye, which affected his vision. The Lakers tried to double-team Dubs star Steph Curry as often as possible, but he still finished with 37 points and seven rebounds – also six turnovers. Toronto native Andrew Wiggins had 21 points. The Warriors had won six straight games but still own a six-game ATS winning streak at home.

NBA Playoff Prediction: Who Will Win Grizzlies vs. Warriors?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Grizzlies Team Leaders

MEM

Points	Ja Morant 19.11
Assists	Ja Morant 7.38
Rebounds	Jonas Valanciunas 12.52
FG%	Jonas Valanciunas 59.2
Steals	Kyle Anderson 1.22
Blocks	Jaren Jackson Jr. 1.64

GS

Points	Stephen Curry 31.98
Assists	Draymond Green 8.86
Rebounds	Draymond Green 7.11
FG%	Gary Payton II 76.9
Steals	Draymond Green 1.67
Blocks	Jordan Bell 2

MEM

Points	Ja Morant 30.2
Assists	Ja Morant 8.2
Rebounds	Jonas Valanciunas 9.8
FG%	Desmond Bane 57.9
Steals	Kyle Anderson 2.8
Blocks	Jaren Jackson Jr. 1.2

GS

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Warriors Team Leaders

MEM

Points	Ja Morant 19.11
Assists	Ja Morant 7.38
Rebounds	Jonas Valanciunas 12.52
FG%	Jonas Valanciunas 59.2
Steals	Kyle Anderson 1.22
Blocks	Jaren Jackson Jr. 1.64

GS

Points	Stephen Curry 31.98
Assists	Draymond Green 8.86
Rebounds	Draymond Green 7.11
FG%	Gary Payton II 76.9
Steals	Draymond Green 1.67
Blocks	Jordan Bell 2

MEM

Points	Ja Morant 30.2
Assists	Ja Morant 8.2
Rebounds	Jonas Valanciunas 9.8
FG%	Desmond Bane 57.9
Steals	Kyle Anderson 2.8
Blocks	Jaren Jackson Jr. 1.2

GS

Points
Assists
Rebounds	Did not qualify
FG%
Steals
Blocks

Injuries

Memphis

Kyle Anderson (SF)

Ques Sun Thumb - 14 / 05 / 21

Dillon Brooks (SG)

Ques Sun Knee - 14 / 05 / 21

Brandon Clarke (PF)

Ques Sun Thigh - 14 / 05 / 21

Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF)

Out Fri Rest - 14 / 05 / 21

Ja Morant (PG)

Ques Sun Back - 14 / 05 / 21

Jonas Valanciunas (C)

Ques Sun Back - 14 / 05 / 21

Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF)

Out Tues Rest - 11 / 05 / 21

Jonas Valanciunas (C)

Ques Thurs Back - 11 / 05 / 21

Sean McDermott (SF)

Out indefinitely Foot - 06 / 05 / 21

Xavier Tillman (PF)

Ques Mon Illness - 06 / 05 / 21

Golden State

Jordan Poole (SG)

Prob Sun Ankle - 15 / 05 / 21

Draymond Green (PF)

Ques Sun Finger - 14 / 05 / 21

Andrew Wiggins (SF)

Prob Sun Knee - 14 / 05 / 21

Mychal Mulder (SG)

Ques Fri Foot - 13 / 05 / 21

Draymond Green (PF)

Prob Tues Hip - 04 / 05 / 21

Andrew Wiggins (SF)

Out Mon Knee - 03 / 05 / 21

Draymond Green (PF)

Prob Sat Back - 01 / 05 / 21

Kelly Oubre Jr. (SF)

Early June Wrist - 28 / 04 / 21

Kent Bazemore (SG)

Prob Thurs Illness - 23 / 04 / 21

Damion Lee (SG)

Out indefinitely Illness - 20 / 04 / 21

Injuries

Memphis

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Kyle Anderson (SF)	Ques Sun	Thumb - 14 / 05 / 21	1-6	4-3	+ -
Anderson sat out the previous game with right thumb soreness, and it is up in the air if he will play Sunday against the Warriors.
Dillon Brooks (SG)	Ques Sun	Knee - 14 / 05 / 21	1-6	4-3	+ -
Brooks was absent from the lineup during the last game due to left knee soreness, and there is no indication if he will participate in Sunday's showdown with the Warriors.
Brandon Clarke (PF)	Ques Sun	Thigh - 14 / 05 / 21	1-6	4-3	+ -
Clark sat out the previous game with right thigh soreness, and it is unknown if he will line up for Sunday's battle with the Warriors.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF)	Out Fri	Rest - 14 / 05 / 21	1-6	4-3	+ -
Jackson Jr. will be held out of the lineup for Friday's clash with the Kings as he will be given a day of rest.
Ja Morant (PG)	Ques Sun	Back - 14 / 05 / 21	1-6	4-3	+ -
Morant was held out of the last game due to back soreness, and it is uncertain if he will take the court versus the Warriors on Sunday.
Jonas Valanciunas (C)	Ques Sun	Back - 14 / 05 / 21	1-6	4-3	+ -
Valanciunas missed the last game due to a back injury, and it is unknown if he will play against the Warriors on Sunday.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (PF)	Out Tues	Rest - 11 / 05 / 21	2-7	5-4	+ -
Jackson Jr. will not be in the lineup on Tuesday versus the Mavericks, as he will be given a day of rest.
Jonas Valanciunas (C)	Ques Thurs	Back - 11 / 05 / 21	2-7	5-4	+ -
Valanciunas missed the last game due to back soreness, and it is unknown if he will take the court on Thursday against the Kings.
Sean McDermott (SF)	Out indefinitely	Foot - 06 / 05 / 21	4-8	6-6	+ -
McDermott is out of the lineup with left foot soreness, and there is no timetable for recovery.
Xavier Tillman (PF)	Ques Mon	Illness - 06 / 05 / 21	4-8	6-6	+ -
Tillman sat out the previous two contests with an illness, and it remains to be seen if he will take the court against the Pelicans on Monday.

Golden State

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jordan Poole (SG)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 15 / 05 / 21	3-0	2-1	+ -
Poole is expected to dress for Sunday's tilt with the Grizzlies despite a left ankle sprain.
Draymond Green (PF)	Ques Sun	Finger - 14 / 05 / 21	3-0	2-1	+ -
Green sat out the previous game with a finger injury, and it is unknown if he will play Sunday versus the Grizzlies.
Andrew Wiggins (SF)	Prob Sun	Knee - 14 / 05 / 21	3-0	2-1	+ -
Wiggins missed the last game due to a knee injury, but it is projected that he will line up against the Grizzlies on Sunday.
Mychal Mulder (SG)	Ques Fri	Foot - 13 / 05 / 21	3-0	2-1	+ -
Mulder is nursing a foot injury, and it is unknown if he will face the Pelicans on Friday.
Draymond Green (PF)	Prob Tues	Hip - 04 / 05 / 21	7-1	4-4	+ -
Green is managing a hip injury, but it is likely that he will face the Pelicans on Tuesday.
Andrew Wiggins (SF)	Out Mon	Knee - 03 / 05 / 21	8-1	4-5	+ -
Wiggins is dealing with right knee soreness, and he will not play in Monday's game versus the Pelicans.
Draymond Green (PF)	Prob Sat	Back - 01 / 05 / 21	8-2	5-5	+ -
Green is bothered by a left trapezius contusion, but is it projected that he will be available to face the Rockets on Saturday.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (SF)	Early June	Wrist - 28 / 04 / 21	8-4	6-6	+ -
Oubre Jr. is sidelined with left wrist soreness, and he is not expected to return to the court until the early part of June.
Kent Bazemore (SG)	Prob Thurs	Illness - 23 / 04 / 21	9-5	6-8	+ -
Bazemore has been added to the COVID-19 injured list, but it is likely that he will suit up against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
Damion Lee (SG)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 20 / 04 / 21	10-5	6-9	+ -
Lee is sidelined while going through the NBA's health and safety protocols, and it has yet to be established when he will return.