It will be a battle of division foes when the New Orleans Pelicans (16-28) welcome the Memphis Grizzlies (26-20) to the Smoothie King Center. The game starts at 8:00 pm ET on Monday, Feb. 1 and will air on FxS and FSN.
The Pelicans lost a winnable game to the Rockets 112-111 the last time they played. Jrue Holiday finished with 32 points to lead the team. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are coming off a 108-102 win over the Magic in their last outing. Jeff Green led the game in scoring with 30 points on 11-for-18 shooting.
Over the last five games, Holiday has really been playing well for the Pelicans. During that stretch, he has averaged 18.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 three-pointers. On the other side, the Grizzlies have been led by Marc Gasol. He has been on a tear, averaging 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.0 blocks in the same time frame.
Based on each team’s statistical profile, ball protection could play an integral role in this matchup. The Pelicans commit the fifth-fewest miscues in the NBA (turnover percentage of 13.3%), while the ball-hawking defense of New Orleans forces the most (opponents’ turnover percentage of 16.8%). The Grizzlies should also expect to protect the ball well. They rank fourth at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 13.2%). Conversely, the Pelicans force the fifth-fewest turnovers in the league (opponents’ turnover percentage of 13.2%).
The Grizzlies have won both matchups against the Pelicans this season, including a close 101-99 victory in their last matchup. Despite the loss, Holiday was the game’s leading scorer with 23 points.
The Pelicans are a slight one-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 201 points. The Pelicans enter the game with records of 18-28 Straight Up (SU) and 20-26 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 4-6 SU and 5-5 ATS against teams from their own division. The Pelicans are an incredibly accurate shooting team from the line with a .793 free throw percentage, one of the highest marks in the NBA.
On the other side, the Grizzlies head into the game with records of 22-24-2 ATS and 28-20 SU. In divisional games, Memphis has gone 5-4 SU and 4-5 ATS. The Grizzlies are getting to the foul line at a high rate. Their 914 free throws made ranks fourth in the NBA. Memphis has not committed many turnovers, averaging only 12.6 per game.
With the Grizzlies’ last win against New Orleans, the head-to-head record between these two is now an even 5-5 SU over the past 10 meetings. However, the Pelicans lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3.
Predictions: SU Winner – Mem, ATS Winner – Mem, O/U – Under
Notes
New Orleans is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans’s last 5 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans’s last 5 games at home.
New Orleans is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home.
New Orleans is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Memphis.
The total has gone OVER in 14 of New Orleans’s last 20 games when playing at home against Memphis.
New Orleans is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games when playing at home against Memphis.
Memphis is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against New Orleans.
New Orleans is 4-6 against its divisional rivals, while Memphis is 5-4 against its division.
Memphis ranks 26th in points per game with 97.4, while New Orleans ranks 25th in points allowed with an average of 105.0 given up.
Memphis scores an average of 94.9 points per away game (ranked 28th), while New Orleans gives up 105.6 points per home game (ranked 26th).
The Memphis Grizzlies are 18-7 in games where they allow fewer than 100 points, while the New Orleans Pelicans are winless (0-20) when scoring less than 100.
The Memphis Grizzlies have a poor 8-13 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The New Orleans Pelicans are 16-8 when they hit the century mark.
The Pelicans have a defensive rating of 107.0 (ranked 28th), while the Grizzlies rank 24th for their offensive rating of 101.7.
Memphis has an average field goal percentage of 43.4%. New Orleans is a losing 11-19 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The New Orleans Pelicans attempt 24.0 three pointers per game this season, while the Memphis Grizzlies attempt 17.0 per game. When they register 25 or more three point attempts in a game, New Orleans has a losing record at 8-14 while Memphis is winless (0-1).
The New Orleans Pelicans, with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.67, rank 10th in the NBA. The Memphis Grizzlies have a lower A/TO (1.66), ranking 11th.
The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the worst rebounding teams in the league with just 41.2 per game. Ranked 22nd, the New Orleans Pelicans average 42.6 rebounds.
The Memphis Grizzlies rank 15th in offensive rebounding, while the New Orleans Pelicans rank 13th in defensive rebounding.
Memphis is one of the top teams in forced turnovers, with opponents averaging a TOV% of 16.8% (ranked first). New Orleans has a subpar record of 1-6 SU this season when its TOV% reaches 16.8% or greater.
