Pelicans vs Grizzlies Betting (Nov. 25): Back the Under with Key Players Missing

The NBA has a stacked slate of games for Black Friday, including a Western Conference meeting between the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies. Both teams are neck-and-neck in the standings, however, one has been performing much better than the other lately, adding an intriguing factor to this Pelicans vs Grizzlies matchup.

Pelicans guard CJ McCollum has entered health and safety protocols and is listed out vs. Grizzlies on Friday.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 24, 2022

The Pelicans are one of the hotter teams in the league, winning five of their last six games. New Orleans has momentum from its 129-110 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, led by Zion Williamson recording 32 points and 11 rebounds for just his second double-double of the year.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies have lost four of their last five outings. They fell 113-109 to the surging Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, giving Memphis some extra time to regroup before tonight’s collision.

There’s a lot to take in before Friday’s Pelicans vs Grizzlies game. Fortunately, Betting News has gathered the game’s odds while also having a prediction and best bet for tonight’s contest.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: New Orleans Pelicans (11-7, 5-4 Away) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (10-8, 6-2 Home)
• Venue & Location: FedExForum (Memphis, Tennessee)
• Date: Friday, Nov. 25, 2022
• Game Time: 8 p.m. Eastern Time
• Pelicans vs Grizzlies Info: NBA TV, Bally Sports New Orleans, Bally Sports Southwest

Pelicans vs Grizzlies Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Friday, Nov. 23 at 8:54 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• New Orleans Pelicans +2.5 (-110)
• Memphis Grizzlies -2.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 229 Points (-110)
• Under 229 Points (-110)

Moneyline

• New Orleans Pelicans +122
• Memphis Grizzlies -144

New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies Betting Trends

• New Orleans is 5-1 straight up in its last six games.
• Memphis is 11-4 straight up in its last 15 home games against New Orleans.
• New Orleans is 8-3 against the spread (ATS) in its last 11 games against Memphis.
• Memphis is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games played in November.
• The total has hit the over in four of New Orleans’ last five road games.
• The total has hit the over in four of Memphis’ last five games against the Southwest Division.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction and Picks

Pelicans vs Grizzlies Prediction: Pelicans 113, Grizzlies 109

Pelicans vs Grizzlies Picks: Pelicans ML (Best Value: +122 at BetOnline) & Under 229 Points (Best Value: -110 at BetOnline)

This game is just the second time in 10 days that forces the Pelicans and Grizzlies squared off. The last meeting took place in New Orleans, resulting in a 113-102 victory for the Pelicans despite the fact that they were without Zion Williamson.

Having said that, C.J. McCollum did come up big for New Orleans, dropping 30 points on 11-of-23 (47.8%) shooting. Unfortunately, the Pelicans will be without the veteran guard tonight after McCollum entered the league’s health and safety protocols on Thursday.

The Pelicans have yet to be without McCollum this season, so it’ll be interesting to see how guards like Jose Alvarado and Devonte' Graham step up in his absence.

The good news for New Orleans is that Memphis is still without key guard Desmond Bane, who injured his big toe a few weeks back.

It’s also clear that Bane’s injury has been a huge detriment to the Grizzlies. Their recent 1-4 skid began on the first outing that the 24-year-old missed, leading to Memphis averaging 107.8 points over that five-game stretch — tied for sixth-worst in the Association.

Furthermore, the Grizzlies have also shot 42.3% from the floor (second-worst) and 30.8% from three-point range (seventh-worst) over their last five contests. Needless to say, it’s going to be tough finding success against a Pelicans team that ranks in the upper half of most defensive statistics.

Even though Memphis has won 11 of the last 15 Pelicans vs Grizzlies matchups at FedExForum, the overall series has leaned in New Orleans’ favor lately.

After all, the Pelicans have won 7 of their last 11 games against the Grizzlies. On top of that, the former also covered the spread in eight of those games. With New Orleans also being 5-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last six outings this season while Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last five, I see the Pelicans covering the 2.5-point spread as underdogs tonight.

Nevertheless, there’s better value to be had by taking the Pelicans at +122 on the moneyline. The Grizzlies are hurting without Bane and even though they’ll have their fans’ support, it won’t be enough to stop a New Orleans time firing on all cylinders.

I also recommend backing the total going under 229 points. Though the two sides have surpassed the mark in three of their last four meetings, the absence of McCollum and Bane will make it tougher to hit the over. Erring on the side of caution, stick with the under.

Other NBA Stories on Betting News (Nov. 25)

• Nuggets vs Clippers Betting (Nov. 25): LA Falls to Denver in Black Friday Blowout