Pelicans, Grizzlies Square Off In Season Opener

New Orleans will open the 2023-24 NBA Season in Memphis.

NEW ORLEANS - After 196 days of waiting, the New Orleans Pelicans take the court to play a meaningful basketball game. New Orleans heads to Memphis to face their Southwest division rival Grizzlies on Wednesday night. Each team looks for a statement win to start the season but for different reasons.

The Pelicans want to rekindle the magic that started at the beginning of last year. New Orleans won its opening night game on the road against the Brooklyn Nets and catapulted itself to an 18-8 record to start the year. Injuries piled up, and the Pelicans limped towards a 42-40 record, with a Play-In Tournament defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Memphis finds itself in familiar territory as they open the season without star guard Ja Morant. Morant is suspended for the first 25 games of the season in response to social media videos showing him waving a gun. The Grizzlies are 31-15 in the last two regular seasons when Morant does not play. 

The teams split the head-to-head matchup last year, with each winning on their home floor. Memphis has won five straight games at home against the Pelicans, and come off a season where they had the NBA's best home record at 35-6. While there are a couple of new faces for the Grizzlies, like Marcus Smart and Derrick Rose, the Pelicans are relying on health and continuity to start the season off successfully.

Dec 31, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) controls the ball against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans will start the same starting five in consecutive years for the first time since the 2008-2009 season. Most eyes are on Zion Williamson, who returns after playing just 29 games a season ago. Williamson has found success in the six regular season games against Memphis. The Pelicans are 4-2 in those games, with Zion averaging 23.5 points, six rebounds, and shooting 56% from the field.

Williamson should exploit an injured Memphis team in the interior. Starting center Steven Adams is ruled out for the entire regular season after knee surgery. His backup, Brandon Clarke, is also sidelined as he still recovers from an Achilles injury suffered last season. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson, Jr figures to get most of the duties guarding Williamson. 

The Pelicans finished 15-26 away from the Smoothie King Center last year. In those games, they averaged 113.8 points and shot 35% from the three-point line. Defensively, New Orleans must prepare itself for the fast-paced Grizz. Memphis averaged 119.8 points at home and had the fifth-highest pace in the league last season. New Orleans must avoid committing turnovers in a race to play Memphis style of play. The Pelicans struggled with turnovers all preseason.

CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson have only played ten games together in the regular season. The trio looks to build chemistry and continuity on their march through the Western Conference. Wednesday night's opener is their first litmus test to see how good this team can be this season.