Outkick Bets: Betting Pelicans @ Grizzlies

Tonight we have a battle with one of the league's hottest team's coming out of the All-Star Break (Pelicans) and the NBA's best team against the spread (Grizzlies). The fighting Ja Morants are a 6.5-point favorite while the total is 230.5.

The Grizzlies are must-watch basketball and it took too long for most people to come around. However, Ja Morant fixed that by being a nightly stat-pack of big numbers and jaw-dropping highlights. Since the Break, Ja has scored 20+ points in all six pf the Grizzlies' games including efforts of 46, 52 and 38 points in consecutive, two against legitimate deep-playoff run teams. The only bad news is that they are 3-3 overall in those games and 3-3 ATS. In fact, they have covered in only the wins. So, if you think they will win, right now that means they are covering too.

Will they win? The Pelicans have been playing better than their 27-37 record will indicate. They had won all four of their games since the Break before dropping Sunday's OT battle with Denver. They are also winners of four-of-five ATS too including wins against Phoenix, Utah and the Lakers. Brandon Ingram and C.J. McCollum are as hot a duo as you'll find league-wide right now and look out, they are playing like they'll be a dangerous team to watch in the play-in. I also really love Herb Jones. He was the reigning SEC Player of the Year until they announced the new winners for this season this morning. The guy just knows his role in the NBA right now and he is relentless in that defensive spot.

I like Memphis to pull out the win and I'll take a bet on them -6.5 tonight. I'll go under the 230.5 this evening. Both teams have combined for eleven games since the return, nine have gone under their final posted total and one (Pels/Nugs) needed OT to do it.