Brooklyn visits FedExForum at 8 p.m. ET on NBA League Pass. Both teams took apart New Orleans this week, with the Nets scoring 145 on Wednesday and Memphis scoring 142 on Friday. The shared opponent makes for a useful comparison, but it’s also why I’m cautious about carrying either scoring figure into Saturday. Verified U.S. sportsbook odds were not available at the time of writing.
Brooklyn Has the Rest, But It Needs a Second Way to Score
The Nets are 3-8 and 2-5 on the road after beating New Orleans 145-111. This is their fourth straight road game, though they’ve had two days off. Brooklyn should have enough energy to pressure Memphis early. Whether that produces easy points depends on how well Memphis protects the ball.
Brooklyn’s scoring average was 110.2 entering Friday, nearly 35 points below its last result. I don’t need to see another 145 to take the Nets seriously. I do need them to get to the rim and find a few second chances when the outside shots aren’t falling. Memphis is a tougher defense to break down than New Orleans has been.
Brooklyn’s best defensive sequence is a good contest followed by a clean rebound. That sounds basic, but it’s the part of the game most likely to decide whether the Nets can carry a lead into the fourth. If they leak out before securing the miss, Memphis’s forwards can keep the possession alive.
Memphis Can Win Without Repeating Friday’s Shooting
The Grizzlies are 8-4 overall and 2-4 at home. They beat New Orleans 142-111 on Friday after losing 123-118 to Denver on Wednesday. The quick turnaround and the losing home split both keep the matchup closer than the overall records suggest.
Memphis had a 55.0% effective field-goal percentage and a 29.7% offensive rebounding rate before Friday. The rebounding number is the more useful one here. It gives Memphis a fallback if the shots it made in New Orleans don’t go in at the same rate against a rested opponent.
Memphis had center availability issues on Friday. If those carry over, expect more responsibility for its forwards to rebound and for the guards to contain the first drive. Brooklyn can change the matchup by drawing those forwards to the ball before sending a rebounder in from the opposite side.
Team Comparison Chart
| Measure | Brooklyn | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Current record | 3-8 | 8-4 |
| Relevant venue split | 2-5 road | 2-4 home |
| Points scored / allowed per game | 110.2 / 115.3 | 117.9 / 111.9 |
| Estimated possessions per game | 103.1 | 103.1 |
| Effective field-goal percentage | 52.9% | 55.0% |
| Offensive rebound percentage | 26.3% | 29.7% |
Records include Friday’s result. Rate statistics are from the pre-Friday snapshot.
Head-to-Head and Common Opponent Comparison
| Game | Result | What It Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Last meeting: March 9, 2026 | Brooklyn 126, Memphis 115 | Brooklyn won by 11 last season. |
| Brooklyn at New Orleans: November 11 | Brooklyn 145, New Orleans 111 | Brooklyn’s most recent scoring performance was well above its baseline. |
| Memphis at New Orleans: November 13 | Memphis 142, New Orleans 111 | Memphis enters on a win, but with less recovery time. |
Position-by-Position Matchups
| Position | Matchup to Watch | What It Favors |
|---|---|---|
| Point guard | Brooklyn can pick up earlier and see how Memphis responds on consecutive nights. | Brooklyn if the pressure creates live-ball turnovers. |
| Shooting guard | Memphis can make Brooklyn defend multiple actions before moving the ball to a shooter. | Memphis when its guards avoid forcing the first look. |
| Small forward | Brooklyn needs its wings to contribute on the glass before looking to run. | Brooklyn if the wings turn rebounds into early offense. |
| Power forward | Memphis can crash from the weak side when Brooklyn’s help commits to the ball. | Memphis’s second-chance scoring. |
| Center | Brooklyn can test Memphis’s depth with sustained rim pressure. | Brooklyn if Memphis has to go small or gets into foul trouble. |
Nets vs Grizzlies Picks and Predictions
Straight-Up Pick: Memphis Grizzlies
I favor Memphis because it has the better shooting, defense and offensive rebounding figures. I don’t expect a repeat of Friday’s blowout. Brooklyn has more rest, and the Grizzlies have won just twice at home. Memphis’s second chances are the difference in my projection, especially if this comes down to a few late half-court possessions.
Spread and Total: Pending
The projection calls for Memphis by five with 227 combined points. I’m putting more weight on the season matchup than on either team’s scoring against New Orleans. Brooklyn’s best chance to push the game higher is to turn Memphis turnovers into open-floor points.
Final straight-up pick: Memphis Grizzlies. Projected score: Memphis 116, Brooklyn 111.
More NBA picks and predictions.
Prepared November 13, 2026. Odds, injury designations and starting lineups may change.