Tip-off: Friday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Line: Memphis -7, Total: 182.5

The Grizzlies look to stay perfect on Friday night when they visit a struggling Thunder team.

Memphis won 102-91 in Phoenix as 1.5-point road underdogs on Wednesday to improve to 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS for the season. Oklahoma City, meanwhile, has really struggled without SF Kevin Durant (foot) and PG Russell Westbrook (hand), dropping all four road games this season (1-3 ATS) including two in a row against the Nets and Raptors on Monday and Tuesday. Over the past three seasons, Memphis is just 5-6 SU in Oklahoma City but they are a profitable 7-4 ATS. These numbers include last year’s playoff series, where the Thunder won in seven games after PF Zach Randolph was suspended for an elbow he threw at C Steven Adams in Game 6. Since 1996, the Grizzlies are 43-21 ATS off a double-digit win as an underdog, and are also 59-41 ATS after a game where they covered the spread in the past three seasons. Oklahoma City, however, is 23-12 ATS after failing to cover in two of its past three games over the past two seasons. SG Jeremy Lamb (back) is expected to play for the Thunder, but SG Andre Roberson (foot) is likely to sit this one out. Memphis PG Mike Conley is dealing with an injured ankle but is expected to play.

Can the Thunder keep the score close versus the unbeaten Grizzlies? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks throughout the entire 2014-15 season. StatFox Zach posted a 54% ATS mark (65-56-4) in NBA Best Bets last season, while StatFox Forecaster had a 53.4% ATS (207-181-12) in featured games last season. StatFox Scott and StatFox Gary are both off to a great start to the 2014-15 campaign at 63% ATS (5-3).

Memphis went to Phoenix Wednesday night and picked up a big road victory to improve to 5-0. PG Mike Conley (15.4 PPG, 6.6 APG) was excellent against the Suns, finishing the game with 24 points (9-of-14 FG, 3-of-4 threes) and 11 assists against a solid defensive backcourt for Phoenix. He should be in for yet another huge game against a Thunder team that is thin at the point guard position. C Marc Gasol (21.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.0 APG) is enjoying the best offensive season of his career so far. He had 18 points, six assists and five rebounds in the victory over Phoenix. The Thunder will throw C Steven Adams (9.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG) at him in an effort to get inside his head, but Gasol is far too crafty and has the size to dominate the young big man inside. PF Zach Randolph (16.8 PPG, 11.0 RPG) had just 10 points and six rebounds against Phoenix, but will be eager to play well against this Thunder team. He believes that he was provoked into being suspended last postseason and definitely has unfinished business with Oklahoma City. For Memphis to make a jump this season, it will need its role players to have breakthrough seasons. SG Courtney Lee (16.0 PPG) played really well in the win over Phoenix, scoring 22 points in 39 minutes of action. If he can be a consistent contributor, Memphis will be a much more difficult team to beat.

The Thunder have really struggled this season without their superstars in the lineup. The team has now lost two straight games and they’re going to need to start winning soon or they could dig themselves too big of a hole in the Western Conference playoff race. PF Serge Ibaka (18.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG) is this team’s best offensive weapon at the moment. He had 25 points and 11 rebounds in Tuesday’s 100-88 loss to the Raptors. Ibaka has expanded his range out to the three-point line (43.5% threes) and it should really pay dividends when Westbrook and Durant return. PG Reggie Jackson (18.0 PPG, 9.5 APG, 4.0 RPG) has always played well in relief duty for Westbrook and that has not changed this season. Jackson had 13 points and a career-high 14 assists against the Raptors. He’ll need to play extremely hard on the defensive end in this game in order to slow down Mike Conley. PF Perry Jones (15.6 PPG) has been Durant’s replacement for the Thunder. After playing three straight games where he scored at least 15 points, Jones had just four points and one rebound in 18 minutes of action against the Raptors. He is battling some soreness in his knee, but he will need to be productive if the Thunder are going to hang around with red-hot Memphis on Friday.