After a grueling four-month wait, the NBA season is finally back.
On Wednesday night, the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies will tip-off for their first NBA action of the year. Which of these teams will start their 2025-26 campaign with a win?
Keep reading below for our best NBA player props for the Pelicans vs. Grizzlies game, including a Zion Williamson player prop bet.
NBA player props for Pelicans vs. Grizzlies
- Yves Missi over 8.5 rebounds: -118 at FanDuel
- Ja Morant over 24.5 points: -118 at FanDuel
Yves Missi over 8.5 rebounds
Yves Missi will have the chance to reach double-digit rebounds on Wednesday night against an injured Memphis frontcourt. The Grizzlies will roll out Jock Landale at center, as Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke will be out for several more weeks.
When Landale isn’t in the game, the Grizz will likely turn to PJ Hall, a two-way undersized big man, who will have a challenging time keeping an elite offensive rebounder like Missi off of the glass.
While Memphis still has some height in its rotation, including seven-footers Santi Aldama and Jaren Jackson Jr, rebounding is not exactly a strength for them.
Missi’s first NBA season had some high and low moments, as is the case for most rookies; however, he ended his rookie campaign clearing this rebounding prop line (8.5) in eight of his final ten games.
Ja Morant over 24.5 points
One thing is certain: Ja Morant loves playing the New Orleans Pelicans.
Morant has had terrific success historically against New Orleans, averaging roughly 29 points per game on 53.1% shooting from the field over his past ten outings; he has cleared this line in seven of the past eight games versus the Pels.
With Tuomas Iisalo at the helm now for Memphis, Morant will see a lot more offensive usage, particularly in the pick-and-roll, where he is among the most efficient players in the NBA.
Further, Jordan Poole will likely be the primary defender on Morant for most of the game, leaving the door wide open for the latter to put up a boatload of points.
Best Zion Williamson props for Pelicans vs. Grizzlies
- Zion Williamson over 24.5 points: -113 at DraftKings
- Zion Williamson over 0.5 blocks: -160 at BetMGM
Zion Williamson over 24.5 points
While we have to look at the preseason through a slightly different lens than we do the regular season, there are two obvious factors that drove us in wanting to back this Zion prop: Williamson’s form and the Grizzlies’ abysmal defense.
Williamson appears to have entered this season in substantially improved physical shape, especially from a cardio perspective. And he has even flashed an improvement in his offensive game, pulling up from mid-range (or just inside of mid-range) when he can’t get all the way to the rim.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies allowed opponents to score the second-most points (128.2) on the highest field goal percentage (50.0%) during the preseason.
Without Edey on the floor, Memphis has to roll out Jock Landale at center, meaning the team’s only rim protection will be Jaren Jackson Jr. Since Jackson Jr is not a great rebounder, he will have to be the primary defender on Zion, who looks nimbler, quicker, and lighter on his feet this season.
Jackson Jr’s off-ball, weak side help defense is elite, but he is far less effective in on-ball situations. Williamson will get to the rim early and often. This point prop line shouldn’t be a problem to clear for him.
Zion Williamson over 0.5 blocks
It’s amazing what having a healthy offseason and getting into great cardiovascular shape can do for a player, especially for one as explosive as Zion Williamson.
Williamson averaged roughly one block per game over his last 11 games of the 2024-25 regular season, recording at least one in six of those outings.
With an ideal matchup against Jaren Jackson Jr, who has a tendency to shoot below the rim on drives to the basket, Williamson should have several opportunities to record a block on Wednesday night.
Further, the Grizzlies play at a blistering pace, which will result in more possessions and increase the likelihood that Williamson can record a block either in transition or the half-court.
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