Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers Picks and Prediction for Sunday January 4, 2026

By: Jake Allman Published 01/04/2026, 01:30 AM ET

The Memphis Grizzlies head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday night at crypto.com Arena, with the tipoff at 9:30 PM ET. Los Angeles enters this matchup at 21-11 overall and 9-6 at home, while Memphis sits at 15-19 and has struggled on the road with an 8-10 mark away from home. The Lakers are listed as 3-point home favorites, which lines up with ESPN Analytics giving Los Angeles a 58.6 percent chance to win. Score big in the NBA with our insider NBA picks.

Grizzlies Preview

Memphis comes in on a rough stretch despite playing well offensively. The Grizzlies have dropped three of the last four games, including a 128-121 loss to this same Lakers team on Friday. Ja Morant is coming off a 40-point performance and leads the team in scoring at 19.2 points per game, despite playing just 17 games. Jaren Jackson Jr. is the second leading scorer at 18.4 points per game while also contributing 1.5 blocks. Memphis averages 115.9 points per game but allows 116.9, which has made closing games difficult. Injuries are also piling up, with Brandon Clarke, John Konchar, Zach Edey, and Ty Jerome all out, while Vince Williams Jr. is questionable and leads the team in assists at 4.9 per game.

Lakers Preview

Los Angeles has played inconsistently recently, but it has still played better overall than Memphis. The Lakers are scoring 116.8 points per game on 50 percent shooting, a clear edge over Memphis. Luka Doncic continues to carry the offense at an elite level, leading the team with 33.5 points and 8.7 assists per game while also contributing defensively with 1.5 steals. Deandre Ayton anchors the interior with 8.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game, giving Los Angeles a size advantage against a Memphis frontcourt missing key personnel. Injuries are a concern for the Lakers as well, with Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent all sidelined.

Lakers vs Grizzlies Prediction

The recent head-to-head result matters here, as Los Angeles just beat Memphis 128-121 and shot well throughout the game. The Lakers also hold an edge on the glass, despite averaging 40.9 rebounds per game to 46.3 for Memphis, but the Grizzlies are missing multiple frontcourt players.

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The pick here is Los Angeles minus the points. The Lakers’ shooting and Doncic’s playmaking will be enough to overcome the injury issues, especially at home. A projected final score of Lakers 122, Grizzlies 116 makes the spread a solid choice and also puts the total in range of a tilt toward the over if the pace stays high.

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