Grizzlies vs Pelicans: Preview, Odds, and How to Watch

Grizzlies vs Pelicans: A Western Conference Clash

The Memphis Grizzlies (18-27, 12th in the Western Conference) are set to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (12-37, 15th in the Western Conference) in New Orleans this Friday at 7:30 p.m. EST. The Grizzlies are looking to break a five-game losing streak on the road, while the Pelicans aim to improve their record against Western Conference opponents.

Pelicans’ Rebounding Prowess vs. Grizzlies’ Defense

New Orleans currently boasts a strong rebounding game, ranking seventh in the Western Conference with an average of 44.0 rebounds per game. Derik Queen leads the Pelicans in this category, averaging an impressive 7.4 boards. However, they’ll be facing a Grizzlies team that excels on the defensive end, ranking fourth in the Western Conference with 34.0 defensive rebounds per game, spearheaded by Zach Edey who averages 7.2 rebounds.

Offensive Matchup: Points and Three-Pointers

The Pelicans average 114.4 points per game, slightly fewer than the 116.3 points the Grizzlies typically concede. Conversely, Memphis puts up 13.3 made three-pointers per game, a figure slightly lower than the 14.8 three-pointers the Pelicans allow. This suggests a potentially tight scoring contest. This will be the fourth meeting between these two teams this season, with the Pelicans securing a 133-127 victory in their last encounter on January 24th.

Key Players to Watch

New Orleans Pelicans: Derik Queen is a key player for the Pelicans, shooting 48.4% from the field and averaging 12.1 points. Trey Murphy III has been on a hot streak, averaging 24.0 points over his last 10 games.
Memphis Grizzlies: Cam Spencer is contributing 11.7 points per game with 2.7 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. has been a consistent performer, averaging 21.0 points and 6.2 rebounds over his last 10 games.

Recent Form

Over their last 10 games:

Pelicans: 4-6 record, averaging 114.3 points, 46.9 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 8.8 steals, and 5.9 blocks. Opponents average 115.4 points.
Grizzlies: 3-7 record, averaging 110.5 points, 46.4 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 7.3 steals, and 6.4 blocks. Opponents average 114.1 points.

Injury Report

Pelicans: Dejounte Murray is currently sidelined with a leg injury.

Grizzlies: A significant number of Grizzlies players are unavailable, including Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe), Ja Morant (elbow), Santi Aldama (knee), Zach Edey (ankle), Ty Jerome (calf), and Brandon Clarke (calf).

This story was created by The Associated Press using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Official NBA Website – For more information and official stats.