New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies Picks and Predictions March 9th 2025

New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies March 9th 2025

At 7:00 ET, the Memphis Grizzlies (-381) will take on the New Orleans Pelicans (+302) at the Smoothie King Center. The Grizzlies are currently favored by 9 points.

Memphis is 39-24 on the season and is 4th in the Western Conference. New Orleans, on the other hand, is 17-47 and is 14th in the West. The Pelicans have lost three straight games.

Grizzlies vs. Pelicans Key Information

• Sport: NBA
• Teams: Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Pelicans
• Where: New Orleans at Smoothie King Center
• Date: Sunday, March 9th
• Betting Odds MEM -9, MEM -381 | NO +302 O/U 239.5

The Grizzlies Can Win If…

Memphis improved to 39-24 this season with a 122-111 road win over the Mavericks on Friday. The Grizzlies, favored by 10 points, covered the spread, while the game’s total of 233 points fell just short of the 238.5 O/U line.

After a slow start, Memphis responded by outscoring Dallas 28-22 in the 2nd quarter. The Mavericks went on a 10-0 run early, but the Grizzlies closed the game strong, holding Dallas to 17 points in the 4th quarter while putting up 33 points of their own.

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies to a 122-111 win over the Mavericks, finishing with 31 points and 8 assists, including 13 points in the 3rd quarter and 11 in the 4th. Desmond Bane added 27 points and 16 rebounds, scoring 10 points in the final period.

Memphis connected on 8 threes, shooting 38.1% from deep and 47.2% overall. Brandon Clarke contributed 17 points, and Vince Williams chipped in 12, with 7 of those coming in the 2nd quarter.

Despite giving up 41 points in the 3rd quarter, the Grizzlies’ defense came through when it mattered, allowing just 17 points in the 4th to secure the win. They held the Mavericks to 38% shooting overall.

From beyond the arc, Dallas hit 15 threes at a 36% rate. The Grizzlies sent them to the line 24 times, where they made 22 free throws. Memphis recorded 9 steals and 12 blocks in the game.

• Across their three previous road games, Memphis has an ATS mark of 1-1-1. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-1 while averaging 116 points per game.
• Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Memphis has an ATS mark of 4-6 while going 6-4 straight up.
• Over their last five games, the Grizzlies have an over/under record of 2-3 and are 1-4 vs. the spread.

The Pelicans Can Win If…

The Pelicans dropped to 17-47 on the season after a 146-117 loss to the Rockets on Saturday. New Orleans went into the game as +7.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread, losing by 29 points. The total score of 263 points exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 228.5 by 34.5 points.

New Orleans struggled defensively, allowing 35+ points in each of the last three quarters. An 11-0 run by the Rockets stretched the score from 62-43 to 73-43, and the Pelicans couldn’t recover, trailing 109-83 going into the 4th quarter.

Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 20 points in their 146-117 loss to the Rockets, shooting 52.6% from the field. CJ McCollum and Jose Alvarado each added 17 points, with Alvarado scoring 13 in the 2nd quarter. McCollum hit 4 threes, shooting 57.1% from deep.

The Pelicans shot 48.5% overall and made 12 threes at a 35.3% rate. Jordan Hawkins and Trey Murphy contributed 13 points each, with Murphy scoring 5 in the 4th quarter.

The Pelicans struggled defensively on Saturday, allowing 146 points to the Rockets. New Orleans gave up at least 35 points in each quarter, including 39 in the 1st. Houston shot 55% from the field in the game.

The Rockets also hit 17 threes, shooting 42% from beyond the arc. The Pelicans sent Houston to the line 21 times, where they made 19 free throws. New Orleans finished with 7 steals and 3 blocks.

• Across their ten previous home games, New Orleans has an ATS mark of 2-8. Their straight up record in these matchups was 2-8 while averaging 114 points per game.
• In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Pelicans have a straight up record of 1-4 and an ATS mark of 1-4.
• In their last five games, the Pelicans have an over/under record of 1-4 and are 3-2 vs. the spread.

The Lean

When looking to get a point-spread pick down in this Grizzlies vs. Pelicans game, our recommendation is to take the Pelicans at +9. Despite our model showing the Grizzlies winning 132-130, we like Pelicans as our point-spread pick.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 239.5 and given that our model is projecting 262 points between the teams, we like the over.

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Grizzlies Fighting for Playoff Position, Pelicans Reeling

The Memphis Grizzlies (41-23) continue their push for a top-three seed in the Western Conference, but with just a four-game cushion above the play-in line, every game is crucial.

They’ll try to complete a season sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans (32-31) on Sunday night in New Orleans, having won all three previous matchups by an average of 10.7 points.

Memphis snapped a four-game losing streak Friday, beating the Dallas Mavericks 122-111, while the Pelicans are coming off a brutal 146-117 blowout loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Desmond Bane Stepping Up for Memphis

With Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) missing his third straight game, Desmond Bane has taken on an expanded role for the Grizzlies.

Bane scored 27 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds in Friday’s win over Dallas and has been a force over his last four games:

• Averaging 25.3 points and 11 rebounds per game
• Three double-digit rebounding games in his last four contests

“I’m just trying to do whatever the team needs,” Bane said. “I’m trying to make winning plays on both ends of the floor. That’s what we need right now.”

Memphis also locked in defensively down the stretch, holding the Mavericks to just 17 points in the fourth quarter after allowing 94 points through three quarters.

“Our defense is something we’ve really been talking about the last week or two,” Bane said. “And it came up big for us down the stretch.”

Pelicans Looking to Recover from Humbling Loss to Rockets

The Pelicans were completely outmatched against Houston, allowing at least 35 points in every quarter and getting swept by the Rockets for the season.

Head coach Willie Green didn’t hold back after the game, calling out his team’s lack of effort.

With little time to regroup, Green hopes his team can quickly shake off the loss, but he acknowledges that facing Memphis is no easy task.

“It doesn’t get any easier,” Green added. “Teams won’t feel sorry for us. We have to have a better approach. We didn’t bring it. We have to make a commitment that every game we’re going to step on the floor and attack.”

Will Zion Williamson Play?

Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 20 points against Houston, but his status for Sunday remains uncertain.

He has yet to play in both games of a back-to-back since returning from a hamstring injury in January. His presence could make a huge difference, as he hasn’t faced the Grizzlies in any of their previous three meetings this season.

Key Players to Watch

Memphis Grizzlies

• Desmond Bane – Averaging 25.3 PPG and 11 RPG over his last four games.
• Ja Morant – Continuing to facilitate the Grizzlies’ offense and push the tempo.
• Santi Aldama – With Jackson Jr. out, Aldama has played a larger role defensively.

New Orleans Pelicans

• Zion Williamson – If available, he could be the game-changer New Orleans needs.
• Brandon Ingram – Needs to provide more scoring consistency for the Pelicans.
• Jonas Valančiūnas – Will be critical in controlling the boards against Memphis.

Want to sharpen your betting strategies? Read the ultimate guide 👉 NBA Expert Betting Guide

Game Outlook & Prediction

The Grizzlies have owned the Pelicans this season and enter with momentum after a solid defensive effort against Dallas.

Meanwhile, New Orleans is coming off one of its worst performances of the season, and their effort level has been inconsistent. If Zion doesn’t suit up, the Pelicans could struggle to keep up with Memphis’ high-energy attack.

Memphis is motivated, knows how to close games, and needs every win to secure a top-six seed.

Prediction: Grizzlies 114, Pelicans 104.