November 12, 2026 at 5:09 AM UTC
Pregame AnalysisShort-Handed Pelicans Try to Steady Themselves Against Slumping Grizzlies
Memphis has the more reliable scoring and fewer unanswered questions, even with its own thin rotation.
This page is the pregame analysis. The box score is the main page for the game, and the matchup history collects every meeting between these teams.
New Orleans comes home carrying the weight of a 138-87 loss at Golden State, which Yahoo calls the worst defeat in franchise history. The Pelicans trailed by 30-plus in the first half, shot 36% from the field and 29% from three, and were without key players. At 4-7 and on a three-game skid, they are still searching for answers under new coach Jamahl Mosley, who is working to find rotations and fix spacing without giving up rim protection on a roster short on shooting and length.
The injury list makes that job harder. Trey Murphy III, Bennedict Mathurin and Trendon Watford were listed out, and Yves Missi was ruled out for the Nov. 11 game with a knee bone bruise. Losing starters and rotation pieces leaves New Orleans with fewer ways to space the floor, and Derik Queen's 16 points in the blowout were the team high. Without more perimeter threats, the Pelicans can be crowded in the half court.
Memphis is not at full strength either. It opened 6-0 but lost three of four before its Nov. 11 game against Denver, so the slide is a real concern. Quinten Post, Richie Saunders and Scotty Pippen Jr. were listed out, and Isaiah Stewart was questionable, so his status deserves a check before tip. Even so, the Grizzlies have a clear scoring anchor in Ty Jerome, who averages 26.7 points, and rookie Cameron Boozer has contributed right away. That gives Memphis more dependable offense than a Pelicans group struggling to shoot.
The Pelicans should offer a better effort at home after such a humbling night, but their shooting and depth problems are too significant to ignore. Memphis should get enough from Jerome and Boozer to end its skid in a game that stays competitive into the fourth quarter.
Prediction: Grizzlies 113, Pelicans 106.