The New Orleans Pelicans vs Grizzlies preview for Monday night centers on one of the NBA‘s biggest early-season gaps: Memphis enters at 6-0 and riding a six-game winning streak, while New Orleans sits at 2-4 and looking to string together consecutive wins for the first time this season. Tipoff at FedExForum in Memphis is set for 8 p.m. ET.
Memphis has won every game it has played this season and is chasing its seventh straight victory, according to FOX Sports. The Grizzlies currently sit atop the Southwest Division standings with no games back, while the Pelicans are four games back in last place in the division.
Pelicans Vs Grizzlies Game Information
- Date: Monday, Nov. 2
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
- TV/Streaming: NBA League Pass, GCSEN, Pelicans.com
- Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season
Grizzlies Outlook
Memphis has not lost a game this season, posting a perfect 6-0 record that leads the Southwest Division. The Grizzlies have been efficient from the field at 47.0% and have knocked down 41.6% of their three-point attempts, a mark that outpaces New Orleans by more than 10 percentage points. Memphis also owns the rebounding edge on both ends, averaging 13.2 offensive boards and 36.7 defensive boards per game.
Ty Jerome has been the engine of the Grizzlies offense, leading the team with 25.8 points and 5.8 assists per game. Cameron Boozer paces Memphis on the glass with 10.5 rebounds per game. Memphis will be without Scotty Pippen Jr., listed as day-to-day with torso and back soreness, and Quinten Post, also day-to-day with a right ankle issue, for Monday’s game, according to the injury report.
Pelicans Outlook
New Orleans arrives at 2-4 but has shown signs of life, winning its last two games after dropping three of its first four. The Pelicans have actually outshot Memphis overall, hitting 50.0% from the field compared to the Grizzlies’ 47.0%, and lead the league comparison in two-point shooting at 59.2%. Their biggest issue has been ball security, turning the ball over 18.2 times per game against Memphis’s 14.8.
Zion Williamson leads the Pelicans in scoring at 20.7 points per game to go with 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.2 steals and 0.5 blocks. Derik Queen leads New Orleans on the boards at 7.8 per game. The Pelicans will be shorthanded again Monday.
Jordan Poole remains out with a left ankle sprain, with a return targeted for Nov. 4, and Yves Missi is out with a left knee bruise with a projected return of Nov. 8. Trey Murphy III is listed as day-to-day with a knee issue.
Key Matchup
Ball control versus ball pressure shapes up as the deciding factor. New Orleans is giving the ball away 18.2 times a game, well above the 14.8 turnovers Memphis is forcing opponents into on average. The Grizzlies have shown they can turn mistakes into offense throughout their unbeaten start, and if the Pelicans repeat their turnover rate from recent games, Memphis figures to get plenty of extra possessions. New Orleans will need Dejounte Murray’s playmaking steadied around the rim, though the Pelicans counter with a defense that has forced 13.7 steals per game, nearly double Memphis’s 6.2 average, giving New Orleans a path to disrupt the Grizzlies’ offensive rhythm if it can convert takeaways into points.
What To Watch
Memphis is trying to become one of the few teams in franchise history to open a season 7-0, and every game adds to an early-season case for the top seed in the Western Conference. For New Orleans, the night is about building on consecutive wins and avoiding a third straight loss to a team sitting atop the standings. The Pelicans’ shorthanded frontcourt, missing both Poole and Missi, will be tested against a Memphis team that ranks among the league’s most efficient offenses through six games.
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