Southwest Division foes will lock horns when the Memphis Grizzlies (52-25) play the New Orleans Pelicans (41-35) at FedExForum. Action begins at 8:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Apr. 8 and can be seen on FSN-NO and SPSO.
The Grizzlies are are hoping for a better outcome after their 92-83 loss to the Wizards on Saturday. Despite the loss, Marc Gasol earned his 19th double-double this season with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Pelicans, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after the 99-90 loss against the Trail Blazers on Saturday. Tyreke Evans had a good game for New Orleans, registering 21 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds.
Evans has upped his play for the Pelicans, averaging 18.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 three-pointers over the past five games.
The Pelicans lead the season series against the Grizzlies two games to one, including a 95-89 win the last time these two teams met. In the victory, Evans led all scorers with 26 points.
The odds for Memphis and New Orleans are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable as of now. The Grizzlies come into this game 52-25 Straight Up (SU) and 36-39-2 Against The Spread (ATS). They have the same record SU and ATS against divisional opponents, going 8-7. It’s been a struggle for opposing teams to score on the Grizzlies. The 95.4 points that Memphis’s defense allows per game makes them the second-ranked defense in the league.
Over on the other bench, the Pelicans have a record of 43-33 ATS and 41-35 SU. Despite having a losing record against its own division, New Orleans is successful ATS in those games with a record of 4-2. The Pelicans convert their three-pointers at a high percentage, ranking fourth in the league at .371. The Pelicans are a problem for teams on the defensive side, allowing only 6.5 field goals from three-point range per game. Blocking shots is an area where New Orleans has excelled. The Pelicans average 6.2 blocks per game, best in the league.
The Pelicans’ win over Memphis in their last clash bumped their SU record over the last 10 meetings to 7-3. Furthermore, the Pelicans hold the advantage ATS with a record of 8-2. Over the last 10 matchups, New Orleans held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers three times. Memphis performed this feat once.
Predictions: SU Winner – NO, ATS Winner – NO
Notes
Memphis ranks 17th in points per game with 98.4, while New Orleans ranks 13th in points allowed with an average of 98.5 given up.
On average, Memphis puts up 99.3 points per home game (ranked 19th), while New Orleans allows 99.0 points per away game (ranked 12th).
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Grizzlies are 39-10 on the season. When the Pelicans score fewer than 100, they are an underachieving 10-26.
When the Memphis Grizzlies allow at least 100 points they are 13-15, while the New Orleans Pelicans are 31-9 when they register triple digits.
The Pelicans have a defensive rating of 104.4 (ranked 22nd). The Grizzlies rank 14th for their offensive rating of 102.8.
The Memphis Grizzlies average 95.7 possessions per game and 1.028 points per possession, while the New Orleans Pelicans earn fewer possessions (94.4) but more points per possession (1.054).
The Memphis Grizzlies average an effective field goal percentage of 48.9% this season. The New Orleans Pelicans have a subpar record of 14-28 when opponents have an EFF% of 48.9% or greater.
Memphis makes an average of 21.7 assists per game (ranked 14th). New Orleans ranks higher in assists with 22.1 (ranked 10th).
New Orleans averages a league-best 6.2 blocks per game. Memphis is the worst team in terms of blocking, with 4.3 per game.
Memphis is ranked 23rd when it comes to offensive rebounding. New Orleans ranks 18th in defensive rebounds.
The Grizzlies record 8.5 steals per game on average (ranked seventh). The Pelicans are 13-16 when allowing at least 8 steals.
