As a basketball-loving society, we have not spent enough time discussing the New Orleans Pelicans’ tailspin this season. Once an expected playoff team with a shiny new piece in Dejounte Murray, New Orleans is now in contention to have the highest odds at the No. 1 draft pick, despite its current four-game winning streak.
That winning streak should end tonight, and it should end decisively. However, not even a Memphis Grizzlies blowout usually gets Zach Edey enough production to warrant the faith sportsbooks put in his points prop.
My Pelicans vs. Grizzlies predictions may not be glamorous, but it is strong in their conviction of fading Edey putting the ball in the basket. Find out more in my NBA picks for Friday, January 24.
Pelicans vs Grizzlies prediction
My best bet
Zach Edey Under 6.5 points (+110 at bet365)
My analysis
Some folks considered Zach Edey to be a trendy preseason bet to win Rookie of the Year. Even as he averages just 9.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, let’s not be too dismissive of those bets. They were not entirely misguided, just mostly misguided.
Edey was never going to be a driving piece for the Memphis Grizzlies this season. He is, at least to some extent, an innings eater that allows Jaren Jackson Jr. to minimize his wear-and-tear during the regular season. But even in that regard, Edey does only so much, averaging 20.5 minutes this season.
With tonight’s spread of -11, surely we can trust Edey to play more minutes against the New Orleans Pelicans... right? Not so much. Memphis has won four games this month by double digits, and Edey did not crack 19 minutes in any of those four games.
He simply does not play as much as those preseason bettors expected. And in the long run, that will be okay. Edey will adjust to the NBA game, he will get into a bit better cardio shape, and he will have a quality career. But right now, he does not play enough to threaten his points prop most nights.
A points prop of merely 6.5 tonight does not change that logic. In 10 games this month — not solely an arbitrary range, but one also influenced by his return from a two-game absence before New Year’s — Edey has scored seven or more points in just three of them.
While there is a possibility this matchup features a bounty of points and some decent tempo, that should not buoy Edey’s production, as a faster pace will veer the game only further from him.
Pelicans vs Grizzlies same-game parlay
Zach Edey Under 6.5 points
Over 243.5
Zach Edey Under 7.5 rebounds
Please know this is not outright Edey doubt, and certainly not long-term shade.
This is, however, recognizing two offensive-driven teams with below-average defenses should push tonight’s scoring. Memphis ranks No. 1 in pace in the NBA in the last month, while New Orleans is No. 10. That kind of combination can provide exponential results.
And that kind of combination should limit Edey’s effectiveness. He simply is not someone first into the paint on most possessions. Furthermore, Edey has fallen short of this rebounding prop in nine of his 10 games this month.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Pelicans vs Grizzlies odds
Pelicans vs Grizzlies live odds
Pelicans vs Grizzlies opening odds
- Spread: New Orleans +11 | Memphis -11
- Moneyline: New Orleans +400 | Memphis -550
- Over/Under: Over 240 | Under 240
Odds courtesy of bet365
Pelicans vs Grizzlies spread and Over/Under analysis
- After Memphis opened as an 11-point favorite, bettors pushed this spread as high as -12.5 early Friday morning before it returned to where it began.
- This total opened at a mere 240 and then ticked upward throughout the night, peaking at 245.5 shortly after the East Coast reported to work.
- The total then slipped back down to 243.5 in the late morning.
Pelicans vs Grizzlies trend
Five of New Orleans’s last six games have gone Over their totals, as have five of Memphis’s last six. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Grizzlies.
How to watch Pelicans vs Grizzlies
| Location | FedExForum, Memphis, TN |
| Date | Friday, 1-24-2025 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | GCSEN, FanDuel Sports Network - Southeast - Memphis |
Pelicans vs Grizzlies latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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