Pelicans vs Mavericks Picks & Odds: Dallas The Big Favorite Over Undermanned New Orleans

The Dallas Mavericks (22-17, 14-23-2 ATS) and New Orleans Pelicans (24-15, 20-19) meet at American Airlines Center on Saturday as the hosts look to get back into the win column after having their seven-game win streak snapped. Find out which team has the edge in our Pelicans vs Mavericks prediction.

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Pelicans vs Mavericks Sportsbook Odds

Sportsbook Odds

The Mavericks opened as the big 7.5-point favorite at home with the total set at 225.5 points. The OVER is 13-6 in the last 19 meetings between the two teams while Dallas has won five of its last six games versus New Orleans at home, giving the hosts the edge in our Pelicans vs Mavericks prediction.

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Undermanned Pelicans Fall To Nets

The Pelicans dropped their last game as they fell 108-102 to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. CJ McCollum was New Orleans’ top scorere with 28 points while Kevin Durant had 33 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double to lead Brooklyn to victory.

New Orleans has a case of the injury bug with both Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Brandon Ingram (toe) now sidelined. Ingram hasn’t played since November 25 while Williamson has now missed two straight games and will be re-evaluated in three weeks. Williamson, who leads the team in scoring this season, was averaging nearly 30 points per game in December prior to the injury.

Mavericks’ Win Streak Halted At Seven Games

The Mavericks had their seven-game win streak ended on Thursday as they were routed 124-95 by the Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum had a big night with 29 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for the triple-double while five others scored in double digits for Boston. Luka Doncic finished as Dallas’ top scorer but was held to just 23 points in the loss.

Doncic has been on an absolute tear prior to Thursday’s loss, averaging 44.5 points over his previous five contests. The point guard has now led Dallas in scoring in eight straight games, with his 23-point performance being his lowest-scoring outing since he scored 19 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 19.

Mavericks Player Prop: Doncic OVER 37 Points (+112)

It’s a lofty goal for anyone to hit 37 points but if anyone can do it right now it’s Doncic. The Mavericks star averaged just over 35 points per game in December and has scored 35-plus in five of his last seven games.

Pelicans vs Mavericks Picks & Insights

Pelicans: Keys To Victory

The Pelicans are missing their two top scorers in Williamson and Ingram, so they’ll need a well-rounded performance to keep up with the Mavericks. McCollum will be the main scoring threat as the shooting guard is scoring 27 points per game over his last three outings, but he’ll need plenty of help from Jonas Valanciunas, Trey Murphy III and others if the Pelicans are going to stand a chance.

Mavericks: Keys To Victory

When you think of Dallas you probably think of Doncic and his offensive talents but the Mavericks have actually been pretty mediocre offensively, ranking 20th in the NBA. Where Dallas has excelled is on the defensive side, allowing just 110.6 points per game – the sixth-best mark in the league. If Doncic has a good night and the defense does its thing, Dallas should get right back into the win column against an undermanned New Orleans squad.

NBA Computer Picks: Pelicans +7

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