Grizzlies vs Pelicans Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: Is Morant's Return Enough for Memphis

The good news is Tuesday’s Grizzlies vs. Pelicans game marks the return of Ja Morant from a 25-game suspension. The bad news is that it’s probably too late to make any noise in the West.

Memphis will be playing the second night of a back-to-back, after getting throttled the night before against the Thunder. It’s the Grizzlies’ fifth loss in a row, and the NBA odds have them as 7-point road dogs in NOLA.

New Orleans is on an opposite trajectory, having reeled off four straight wins since getting embarrassed in the NBA Tournament semi-final by the L.A. Lakers.

Is it as easy as chalking up another New Orleans win and Memphis loss? Read below for my Grizzlies vs Pelicans free NBA picks on December 19.

Grizzlies vs Pelicans odds

Grizzlies vs Pelicans predictions

It’s fitting Memphis’ Ja Morant-less streak ended with a 116-97 whipping at the hands of the OKC Thunder, where the Grizzlies were plainly overmatched and lacking any spark.

Memphis is scoring an NBA-low 106 points per game, with only two other teams failing to crack the 109-point plateau on the year. They’re shooting a league-worst 43.5% from the field, and are second-last from distance, hitting at a bleak 33.2% clip.

Sometimes, it doesn’t even matter. Against OKC, the Grizzlies hit 19-for-54 from distance, and outscored the Thunder by 24 from beyond the arc and still got crushed by nearly 20!

New Orleans, meanwhile, is again establishing itself as a team no one wants to face in the West if it's right.

NOLA hammered San Antonio 146-110 last time out, the second time in three games the Pelicans have crossed the 140-point mark. 

During this four-game winning streak, the Pelicans are pumping in 130 points per game, with an average margin of victory at just under 19 points. 

Remarkably, the Grizzlies are just outside the Top-10 in points allowed per game, surrendering just 112.3 points. For a team that’s 6-19 on the year, Memphis is also a wild — and almost unbelievable — ninth in field goal shooting defense, limiting their opponents to 45.7% shooting.

They struggle to defend the arc, though. Memphis is tied for dead last, allowing 14.4 makes from distance per game, while allowing teams to shoot 39.5%. 

That’s a glaring weakness against a New Orleans unit that’s shooting 51.4% from the field and a blistering 43.8% from beyond the 3-point line over its last four.

This is the third set of back-to-backs the Grizzlies have played, losing the second game each time, but none by more than seven points. 

That changes Tuesday — despite Ja’s return — against a New Orleans side that’s on its best run of the year, and currently 16-10-1 against the spread this season.

My best bet: Pelicans -7 (-108 at FanDuel)

Grizzlies vs Pelicans same-game parlay

Pelicans -7 

Morant Under 23.5 points

Bane Over 2.5 3-pointers

No-sweat promo available

+405 at FanDuel

We can’t put together an SGP without including Morant, who hasn’t played since April 28, when the Grizzlies were bounced in Round 1 of the playoffs by the Lakers in Game 5.

He’s coming off a year where he averaged 26.2 points per game, and a career-best 8.1 assists on 46.6% shooting. 

Ideally, it would be fantastic to see Ja pick up right where he left off, but real live basketball reps against a tough Pelicans team dotted with stud defenders isn’t exactly the ideal return. 

New Orleans is 15th in scoring defense, allowing 113.8 points per game, just outside the Top-10 in field goal defense, and fourth in 3-point field goal defense, holding teams to 34.4% shooting — numbers which would be even better had they not been battling so many injuries.

I think Morant plays well, but it’s a lot to ask to get up to speed, as the rest of the league is already a third of the way into the season.

Where I think he can make things easier is with the space and attention he creates, and that should probably make life easier for Desmond Bane.

It’s never easy to be the man with no other shot creators on the roster, but now he’ll slide back into that secondary role he’s more built for.

Not that he hasn’t been smoking from distance. He’s hit at least three 3-pointers in nine straight games, and I think, even with a strong Pels defense, he should have a little more room to operate and make it 10.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Grizzlies vs Pelicans spread and Over/Under analysis

The spread has never dipped below five points for this matchup, springing upwards as of early Tuesday morning. The books are split, with sites seemingly divided on 6.5 points or seven points. 

Memphis is just 9-15-0 ATS on the year, but is almost .500 on the road, with a record of 6-7-0 ATS. New Orleans has a crisp 10-3-0 record against the spread at the Smoothie King Center this season.

The total has stayed pretty solid at 232.5 points, and both teams have losing records on the Over. The Grizzlies’ Over record is just 10-14-0, while New Orleans checks in at 13-14-0. 

However, Memphis and New Orleans have each crossed the Over in three of their last four contests.

Grizzlies vs Pelicans betting trend to know

New Orleans is 4-2-0 ATS with a rest advantage. Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Pelicans.

Grizzlies vs Pelicans game info

Grizzlies vs Pelicans latest injuries

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