The New Orleans Pelicans (23-12, 18-16 ATS) head to FedExForum on Friday as they look to extend their win streak to six games when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies (21-13, 16-16-2). Can the visitors stay hot in Memphis? Find out in our Pelicans vs Grizzlies prediction.
Pelicans vs Grizzlies Sportsbook Odds
Sportsbook Odds
The Grizzlies opened as the 4-point favorite at home with the total set at 232.5 points. The OVER is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the two teams while Memphis has won four of its last five games against New Orleans, confirming the edge for the hosts in our Pelicans vs Grizzlies prediction.
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McCollum, Williamson Help Pelicans Win Fifth Straight
The Pelicans picked up an impressive 127-116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday to push their win streak to five games. CJ McCollum (42 points) and Zion Williamson (36 points) each had monster nights for the Pelicans to lead them to victory. Joel Embiid responded with 37 points of his own but was outdone by the New Orleans duo.
While Williamson’s hot start to the season has been the story of late for the Pelicans, it was the 31-year old McCollum who led the way on Friday. The veteran scored 11 three-pointers – a career high and franchise record – en route to his second 40-plus point performance in his last five outings. McCollum is having his worst scoring season since 2015-16, but he may finally be turning a corner.
Williamson Scores Career-High 43 Points In Pelicans Win
The Grizzlies snapped a two-game skid on Thursday, defeating the Toronto Raptors 119-106. Dillon Brooks led the way with 25 points while Ja Morant (19 points, 17 assists) and Steven Adams (14 points, 17 rebounds) posted double-doubles in a strong team effort. Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 10 boards to top Toronto in the loss.
After a seven-game run through the first part of December, the Grizzlies have slowed down, going 2-4 over their last six contests. Memphis is averaging just 104.3 points per game through those four losses, so offense has been hard to come by for the Grizzlies. They did get a huge boost just before Christmas, though, as Desmond Bane returned to the lineup after missing more than a month with a toe injury. With Bane back, the Grizzlies’ offense should get back up to full speed shortly.
Pelicans vs Grizzlies Picks & Insights
Pelicans: Keys To Victory
The Pelicans own one of the elite offenses in the NBA and with both Williamson and McCollum popping off, it’s obvious why. Outside of that duo, they’ve also got five others averaging at least 10 points per game in December. With so much scoring depth, they’ll be hard for the Grizzlies to contain.
Grizzlies: Keys To Victory
While the Pelicans have an impressive duo in Williamson and McCollum, the Grizzlies got their dynamic duo back as Bane and Morant are finally reunited. Morant has cooled off a bit in December and Bane hasn’t gotten up to full speed just yet, but plenty of others like Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr. have picked up the slack. If Morant and Bane can get it going too, Memphis should come out on top.
NBA Computer Picks: Grizzlies -6
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