Can New Orleans Slow Down an Unbeaten Memphis Machine?

The Memphis Grizzlies bring a perfect 6-0 record into FedExForum tonight against a Pelicans squad that is still searching for its footing at 2-4. There is no model read available for this one, which means you are watching this game raw — and honestly, that might be the most interesting way to watch it.

Let's start with the obvious: Memphis is the only unbeaten team in this building tonight, and that is not a small thing six games into a season. At 6-0, the Grizzlies have built something that demands respect, and Ty Jerome is the engine driving it. Jerome is averaging 25.8 points and 5.8 assists per game — numbers that make him one of the most productive guards in the league right now. He is not just scoring; he is running an offense, and that dual threat makes him genuinely difficult to scheme against. Cameron Boozer is doing the dirty work inside, pulling down 10.5 rebounds per game, which gives Memphis a consistent second-chance presence that compounds every defensive breakdown an opponent makes.

New Orleans has the talent to make this uncomfortable, but the 2-4 record is a real signal, not noise. Zion Williamson at 20.7 points per game is still a matchup problem for any front line — Memphis included — and Dejounte Murray's 6.0 assists per game means the Pelicans can generate quality looks when the offense is clicking. The wild card is Derik Queen, who is averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and could be the factor that keeps New Orleans competitive on the glass against a Memphis team that already owns that dimension of the game. If Queen and Boozer end up in a physical battle in the paint, that subplot alone is worth watching.

With no validated model read to anchor expectations, this game comes down to what you trust more: Memphis's unblemished record as a statement of genuine quality, or the idea that New Orleans's individual talent is too much to suppress for a full 48 minutes. My lean — and this is opinion, not projection — is that Jerome and the Grizzlies are the real deal, and a Pelicans team still finding itself is a tough sell on the road against a team that has not lost yet. Tip-off is at 8:00 PM ET on NBA League Pass.