Brooklyn dropped 145 points on New Orleans. Memphis followed with 142 against the same team. Now comes the more interesting test: which offense can carry that shooting into a game against someone else? Egor Demin’s return gives the Nets something tangible to build on, while the Grizzlies bring scoring depth—and have to turn around after playing Friday night.
Brooklyn has its spark back
Demin scored 22 points after missing six games with a leg bone bruise, matching Michael Porter Jr. in Brooklyn’s 145-111 win Wednesday. Each made four 3-pointers. The Nets finished 20-for-41 from deep, with nine players making at least one, and shot 57% overall. Having another scorer produce alongside Porter matters here: Memphis can’t focus on one hot hand if Demin keeps making shots.
That win also followed a 130-93 loss at Dallas. Brooklyn’s last 10 games include three wins but seven covers, a useful distinction when judging a team that has competed with the number more often than it has won outright. The Nets lost by three at Atlanta and one at Boston during that stretch. Their route to a competitive game is real, but Wednesday’s shooting isn’t something they can simply pack for Memphis.
Brooklyn also has two days between games, while Memphis is playing on consecutive nights. The backcourt bears watching: Nolan Traore is probable with a calf issue, and Mikel Brown Jr. is questionable with an illness, matching the NBA’s Saturday morning injury report. If either is unavailable, watch whether Brooklyn can still get into its offense cleanly rather than asking Porter and Demin to rescue late possessions.
Memphis can spread the scoring around
The Grizzlies’ 142-111 win Friday featured 10 double-figure scorers, tying an NBA record. Jerami Grant led with 22 points, Ty Jerome added 17, and Memphis made 18 of 45 from beyond the arc. Grant supplied the signature burst: two 3s and a free throw during an extended possession, producing seven points in seven seconds.
That breadth is the challenge for Brooklyn. Slowing Jerome alone won’t be enough if Memphis keeps finding contributions across the rotation. But the Grizzlies haven’t been rolling through everyone: their recent home results include losses to Denver, Oklahoma City, Indiana and New Orleans. Friday’s performance shows their offensive ceiling, not that their defensive problems have disappeared.
We project 44.2 rebounds for Memphis against 39.5 for Brooklyn. That’s a potential way for the Grizzlies to stay in control without another shooting eruption. Watch who finishes defensive possessions: if Brooklyn keeps Memphis to one shot, it can take away one of the clearest advantages in our matchup analysis.
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The spread: offense needs a defensive partner
DraftKings lists Memphis as a 3.5-point favorite. The case for laying that number rests on the Grizzlies turning their scoring depth and rebounding advantage into separation. They don’t need everyone to repeat Friday’s production, but they do need enough stops to keep Brooklyn from answering each run.
The case for taking the points is Brooklyn’s improved scoring mix with Demin back, plus the rest advantage. If the Nets limit second chances and make Memphis defend through full possessions, this can stay close. We wouldn’t pay for either team’s Pelicans blowout alone: Memphis needs to show control beyond shot-making, and Brooklyn needs to show it can create offense when the first wave of 3s doesn’t fall.
The total: can both offenses keep contributing?
The total is 228.5. Both teams’ last 10 games have produced six overs, but the more useful question is whether both can score efficiently here. Brooklyn’s 20 made 3s and Memphis’ 18 in their latest games explain the excitement. They also set a demanding standard to repeat against a different opponent.
The over case gets stronger if Demin’s return helps Brooklyn sustain its offense and Memphis keeps spreading touches across multiple scorers. The under case depends on colder perimeter shooting without easy replacement points—especially if the Nets finish defensive possessions and force Memphis to work for each basket. Those rebounds matter differently to the two markets: they can help Memphis separate on the spread, while extra possessions can also keep the combined scoring moving. Without evidence of reliable scoring beyond the recent shooting bursts, chasing the over just because both teams topped 140 would be a stretch.
Watch what happens after the first miss
I’ll be watching whether Brooklyn ends possessions with a rebound and whether Demin keeps the offense moving when his jumper isn’t the answer. Those details should tell us more than an early flurry of 3s. Visit the NBA betting board to compare this matchup’s spread and total with the rest of Saturday’s slate as availability updates arrive.
Odds and projections are snapshots and can change. Wagering involves risk.
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