Out in the Southwest Division, the Memphis Grizzlies welcome the New Orleans Pelicans to Tennessee at 8 p.m. EST. Neither team has produced excellent results this season, but there’s still much left to play for as both sides try to navigate their way out of the Western Conference’s bottom half.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Memphis is a -5.5 favorite with -225 odds to win on the Moneyline. The game total is set at 240.5 combined points, the highest of tonight’s slate.
Here are the top Pelicans vs. Grizzlies prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday night’s matchup.
Best Pelicans vs. Grizzlies player prop bets
Cam Spencer over 2.5 three-pointers made (-105)
The Grizzlies will operate without Ja Morant tonight as he nurses an elbow issue, and the rest of the rotation is also somewhat decimated in terms of leading scorers without Santi Aldama (knee) active as well. We could see a lot of the role guys here, meaning a prime opportunity for Cam Spencer to show out. The second-year guard is up to 11.8 PPG and a staggering 45.8% three-point percentage, and given that he typically slides into the starting five when Morant is out, there should be plenty of opportunity to produce.
While Spencer hasn’t hit three shots from beyond the arc since January 7, six games ago, tonight provides the perfect chance to erupt from distance. He takes an average of 9.5 shots per game with 5.4 attempts from three when Morant doesn’t play. In comparison, he takes 6.5 shots per game and 4.5 threes when Morant does suit up. It’s not a massive bump in shot volume, but it remains noteworthy nonetheless and the absence of Aldama further helps Spencer’s case for this prop. Plus, the Pelicans allow 41.0 three-point attempts and 14.8 makes per contest, marks which both rank 29th of the 30 NBA teams. The matchup and role leave Spencer primed to hit at least three shots from deep, if not four or more if you’d rather ladder the play up with higher value.
Derik Queen 8+ rebounds (+116)
One of the lone bright spots of a miserable campaign for the Pels, rookie big man Derik Queen looks quite good in his debut season. The 21-year-old averages 12.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists, and while his game hasn’t yet evolved outside the arc, there’s a lot to like about his production in 26.0 minutes per outing. At 6-foot-9, he’s not the biggest player on the court, but he brings toughness and tenacity to play above his height with a 250-pound frame. Queen can bruise big men in the paint and assert his will on the glass, which sets the stage for this prop bet.
The Grizzlies are generally an excellent team on the boards, ranking fifth in rebounds per game. However, they’ve been missing young center Zach Edey for weeks and may also be without big man Jock Landale (personal) tonight as well since he enters with a questionable tag. If the latter doesn’t play, it bodes very well for New Orleans on the glass. Even if Landale does suit up though, Jaren Jackson Jr. isn’t a standout rebounder and the New Orleans frontcourt can get the better of him. Queen can reach eight boards tonight assuming he plays his usual share of minutes, especially after notching double-digit rebounds in five of his last 10 appearances.
