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Update: CJ McCollum is resting, but Jonas Valanciunas is in for the Pelicans. The spread is now Mavericks -9, and the total is now 224. We’ll maintain our faith in New Orleans and take them at +9. We’ll also keep our under bets at 224.
The New Orleans Pelicans (24-15) will look to bounce back from a close loss Friday when they face the Dallas Mavericks (22-17) Saturday evening. The Mavericks saw their seven-game winning streak snapped Thursday against the Celtics.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are still out for New Orleans. We’ll see if the Pelicans give CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas some rest on the second night of a back-to-back. Luka Doncic is listed as probable for Dallas with an ankle injury.
The Mavericks are 7.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is 225.5.
Pelicans vs. Mavericks, 8 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Pelicans +7.5
If New Orleans opts against resting its key players, the Pelicans will be able to keep this thing close. Doncic is a star but the Mavericks haven’t had much outside of his production. Dallas is 10-20-1 ATS as a favorite, and 3-7-1 ATS as a home favorite. On the flip side, New Orleans is 7-8 ATS as the underdog. If the Pelicans don’t pull the plug by resting players, take them to cover Saturday.
Over/Under: Under 225.5
The Mavericks are in the middle of the league when it comes to scoring over the last five games, while the Pelicans have dropped off a bit with Williamson and Ingram out. Given New Orleans’ fatigue on the second night of a back-to-back and Dallas playing strong defense at home, take the under on the total.