Third quarter report
The Grizzlies are on the road, but they don’t look any worse. They have a bit of protection as they currently lead the Pelicans 104-88.
If the Grizzlies keep playing like this, they will increase their record to 22-10 in no time. On the other hand, the Pelicans will have to settle for a 5-27 record unless things change (and quickly).
Who is playing
Memphis Grizzlies @ New Orleans Pelicans
Current records: Memphis 21-10, New Orleans 5-26
How to watch
- When: Friday, December 27, 2024 at 8 pm ET
- Where: Smoothie King Center – New Orleans, Louisiana
- TV: Fand Duel SN – Memphis
- Continue: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try it for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $9.00
What to know
The Grizzlies will play the full four quarters on Friday, but are expected to have everything figured out well before then. They and the New Orleans Pelicans will meet at 8:00 pm ET at the Smoothie King Center without much rest after finishing yesterday’s games. The Grizzlies strut around with some offensive muscle, as they have averaged 123.7 points per game this season.
The Grizzlies’ season wasn’t pretty last year, but it’s starting to look like problems are in the rearview mirror. They hurt the Raptors with a clear 155-126 victory on Thursday. Memphis’ offense stepped up their game for this one, as it was the most points they scored all season.
The Grizzlies relied on the efforts of Zach Edey, who had a double-double with 21 points and 16 rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr., who had a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. What’s more, Jackson Jr. also racked up four offensive rebounds, the most he’s had since March.
The Grizzlies were working as a unit and finished the game with 36 assists (ranked second in assists per game overall). That good performance was nothing new for the team: they have already accumulated at least 25 assists in 16 consecutive games.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans’ recent slump got a little tougher Thursday after their eighth straight loss. They suffered a tough 128-111 loss against the Rockets. New Orleans trailed 102-74 at the end of the third quarter, which was too much to recover from.
Memphis has been on a roll lately: They’ve won 13 of their last 16 games, giving a nice boost to their 21-10 record this season. As for New Orleans, their loss dropped their record to 5-26.
This contest is shaping up to be a blowout: the Grizzlies have had no problem running up the score this season, having averaged 123.7 points per game (they rank first in overall scoring). However, it’s a different story for the Pelicans, as they have averaged just 105.9. The only thing standing between the Grizzlies and another offensive loss is the Pelicans. Can they keep them contained?
The Grizzlies beat the Pelicans 120-109 when the teams last played in November. The rematch could be a little more difficult for the Grizzlies since this time the team will not have the home field advantage. We’ll see if the change of venue makes a difference.
Odd
Memphis is a heavy 9.5-point favorite against New Orleans, according to the latest report. NBA Odds.
Bettors were in line with the betting community on this one, as the game started with a 9.5 point lead and stayed there.
The over/under is 237.5 points.
See NBA selections for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Memphis has won 6 of its last 10 games against New Orleans.
- November 29, 2024: Memphis 120 vs. New Orleans 109
- February 12, 2024 – New Orleans 96 vs. Memphis 87
- December 26, 2023: Memphis 116 vs. New Orleans 115
- December 19, 2023: Memphis 115 vs. New Orleans 113
- October 25, 2023: New Orleans 111 vs. Memphis 104
- April 5, 2023 – New Orleans 138 vs. Memphis 131
- December 31, 2022: Memphis 116 vs. New Orleans 101
- November 25, 2022: Memphis 132 vs. New Orleans 111
- November 15, 2022: New Orleans 113 vs. Memphis 102
- April 9, 2022: Memphis 141 vs. New Orleans 114
