by Chuck Sommers
Friday, Dec 03, 2021
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Where to watch: Bally Sports Southwest-Dallas, Bally Sports New Orleans
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Mavericks -8
BetMGM: Mavericks -7.5
Caesars: Mavericks -7.5
Season record
Pelicans: 6-18
Mavericks: 11-9
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Pelicans - Mavericks preview and analysis
Recent form
Pelicans: lost two of three
Mavericks: lost three of five; won 139-107 at Pelicans on Wednesday
The Dallas Mavericks have remembered how to play good basketball. The masses were getting worried.
Masses meaning the Dallas Metroplex area not giving up on this team just yet.
The Mavericks will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night in what will complete a home-and-home series in Dallas, two days after a dominant display by the Dallas offense in the matchup at Smoothie King Center.
Dallas shot a franchise-best 68.7 percent from the floor in Wednesday's 139-107 win over the Pelicans. All but two players scored, and Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis were ridiculous again with double-doubles each in a much-needed win for the Mavs.
"To break a record like that with so many great offensive teams that the Dallas Mavs have had just shows the carryover and the response that this team has had after the last two outings," said Mavs head coach Jason Kidd. "I thought everybody touched it. We got wide-open looks, that we've been getting, but they started to go down for us."
Doncic started the night scoring 18 of his 28 points in the first quarter and also had 14 assists. Porzingis, who seems to be turning the corner at the right time, had 20 points to go with 10 rebounds.
"Luka was phenomenal tonight," Porzingis said. "He started off the game hot himself, and then he was sharing the ball. Our energy was there right from the beginning because we shared it. It was a chain reaction, starting from him, and we got great looks."
Dallas is 6-3 against the spread in the last nine despite losing five of its last seven. But if the Mavericks can keep this sort of offensive pace going, highly unlikely, things may turn for the better. They're taking on a Pelicans defense that has allowed 110.5 points per game while giving up nearly 48 percent from the floor.
The Pelicans fell behind 41-23 after the first quarter and got no contribution from anyone but Brandon Ingram, who had a game-high 29 points on 11 of 17 shooting.
"We just let him get into the paint," New Orleans coach Willie Green said of Doncic. "We've just got to bring more toughness."
Prediction
This would normally be a prime chance to go with the road dog, but the talent should outweigh the preconceived notion. The Mavericks are in need of a run to stay consistent, and two wins against the Pelicans should do it. Mavericks by 15
Betting trends
The Pelicans are 7-19 ATS in their last 26 following a division game.
The Pelicans are 0-6 ATS in their last six after a loss of 10 or more to a division opponent.
The Mavericks are 73-39 straight up as a home favorite over the past three seasons.
The Mavericks are 16-17 ATS in their last 33 after a win by 30 or more.
Projected starting lineup
Pelicans:
PG: Devonte’ Graham
SG: Brandon Ingram
SF: Josh Hart
PF: Herbert Jones
C: Jonas Valanciunas
SF: Josh Hart
PF: Herbert Jones
C: Jonas Valanciunas
Mavericks:
PG: Luka Doncic
SG: Tim Hardaway Jr.
SF: Dorian Finney-Smith
PF: Kristaps Porzingis
C: Dwight Powell
SF: Dorian Finney-Smith
PF: Kristaps Porzingis
C: Dwight Powell
Key injuries
Pelicans: Josh Hart (knee, questionable), Zion Williamson (out)
Mavericks: Frank Ntilikina (calf, questionable), Willie Cauley-Stein (personal, out)
Statistical leaders
Pelicans:
Points: Brandon Ingram – 21.8
Rebounds: Jonas Valanciunas – 12.1
Assists: Devonte’ Graham – 4.7
Mavericks:
Points: Luka Doncic – 25.6
Rebounds: Kristaps Porzingis – 8.0
Assists: Luka Doncic – 8.6
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
