Memphis and New Orleans meet at Smoothie King Center at 8 p.m. ET on NBA League Pass. Both lost their first West Group B games. The Grizzlies are favored by 3.5 and the total is 235.5. New Orleans won the first meeting in overtime, but Memphis brings the better defense and an unbeaten road record into the rematch.
Memphis Can Get More Out of Its Misses
The Grizzlies are 7-4 and 5-0 on the road after a 123-118 home loss to Denver. Memphis has cooled after a strong start, but it still averages 117.9 points and allows 111.9. The road split is encouraging, even if five games are too few to treat as a dependable trend.
Memphis is shooting 55.0% by effective field-goal percentage and collecting 29.7% of available offensive rebounds. It has center depth issues, so it may need its forwards to do more of that rebounding. There’s still a workable route to scoring against a defense that allows 124.3 points per game.
New Orleans Can Score Enough to Make This Interesting
The Pelicans are 4-8 and 3-4 at home after losing 145-111 to Brooklyn. New Orleans averages 116.9 points, so it has the scoring to make Memphis work. The problem is getting enough stops to sustain a run of its own. Brooklyn’s 145 was an extreme result, but the season defensive average explains why the loss got away.
New Orleans plays at an estimated 105.7 possessions per game. I expect the Pelicans to push the ball, especially if Memphis has to use smaller lineups. Check the wing availability before tipoff: less shooting around the interior attack would make the over harder to trust.
Team Comparison
| 2026–27 regular season | Memphis | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Record / venue split | 7-4 / 5-0 away | 4-8 / 3-4 home |
| Points scored / allowed per game | 117.9 / 111.9 | 116.9 / 124.3 |
| Estimated pace | 103.1 | 105.7 |
| Effective field-goal percentage | 55.0% | 52.7% |
| Offensive rebound percentage | 29.7% | 24.9% |
Head-to-Head and Position Matchups
| Comparison | What to watch |
|---|---|
| Last meeting: November 2, 2026 | New Orleans 135, Memphis 134 (OT). Overtime helped the final total; Friday’s over needs a regulation scoring case. |
| Point guards | Memphis can make New Orleans defend multiple actions before committing to a shot. |
| Shooting guards | New Orleans needs perimeter makes to keep Memphis from packing the paint. |
| Small forwards | Memphis’s wings can exploit a defense that gives up space when it rotates. |
| Power forwards | New Orleans can pressure the rim against Memphis’s thinner frontcourt. |
| Centers | Memphis needs team rebounding to preserve its second-chance advantage. |
Grizzlies vs Pelicans Picks and Predictions
Spread Pick: Memphis -3.5
I like Memphis at -3.5. Its shooting and rebounding offer two ways to keep scoring, and it gives up 12.4 fewer points per game. New Orleans has already shown it can beat the Grizzlies and could do it again if Memphis loses the paint. At this number, I’ll take the team with the more dependable defense.
Total Pick: Over 235.5
Memphis should find good looks against the Pelicans’ defense, and New Orleans has averaged nearly 117 despite its losses. I’m expecting the Pelicans’ pace and Memphis’s second chances to produce enough points in regulation. The main risk is New Orleans getting too little from the perimeter to hold up its end.
Final picks: Memphis moneyline, Memphis -3.5 and Over 235.5. Projected score: Grizzlies 123, Pelicans 116.
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Prepared November 12, 2026. Odds, injury designations and starting lineups may change.