Wednesday is another jam-packed night of NBA action, with 11 games filling up the night. In one of the Western Conference matchups, the New Orleans Pelicans go on the road to take on the Dallas Mavericks in a matchup that is scheduled to get underway at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Both teams have struggled coming out of the gate this season, dropping to the bottom of the conference. The Pelicans are the only one-win team in the West, while the Mavericks are only slightly better at 2-5. The Pelicans picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday after announcing that star forward Zion Williamson would miss at least a week with a strained left hamstring. They won’t get much sympathy from the Mavericks, though, who are without Anthony Davis (calf) and also depleted by injuries.
Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Mavericks enter as 8.5-point favorites and hold -310 odds on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Pelicans hold +250 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 226.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Wednesday night matchup.
Pelicans at Mavericks preview, prediction
The Pelicans started the season with a tough schedule and lost close games to the Spurs and Clippers before breaking through for a victory on Tuesday night when they faced the Hornets. Trey Murphy III led the way with 21 points, while eight Pelicans chipped in at least 11 points, including Jose Alvarado, who hit this huge three-pointer that gave the Pelicans the lead in the closing minute.
The squad has been spreading the work around this year while trying to give rookies and other young players a chance to develop while Zion is sidelined.
On the other side, the Mavs also have a young rookie they’re working to develop in No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Flagg has started every game this season and has played a big role, producing 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.9 steals in 32.7 minutes per contest. His shooting percentage and efficiency haven’t been great, but he has flashed high upside. I included Flagg’s three-point props in my top options on Wednesday’s slate.
Without Anthony Davis, the Mavs lost by 12 points to the Pistons in Mexico City on Saturday and lost by eight points on Monday to the Rockets in Houston. They did win their last home game, defeating the Pacers, 107-105.
While the missing superstars take a little of the luster off this game, there are some great young players on both sides that should still make it fun to watch.
The Pelicans have been starting rookie Jeremiah Fears, who was the No. 7 pick in the NBA Draft, and have given Derik Queen (pick No. 13) plenty of run off the bench. Queen was very impressive on Tuesday with 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals in 18 minutes. Fears only played 17 minutes in that matchup, but he has played at least 26 minutes in his five previous games. He’s averaging 13.3 points, 3.3 assists and 2.6 rebounds in his 25.1 minutes per contest.
Pelicans at Mavericks prediction, best bet
The Mavs have struggled without Davis, but the Pelicans are coming off an emotional victory and playing for the second night in a row. The Mavs have been the lowest-scoring team in the NBA, but New Orleans has been one of the most generous defenses to go up against. I like the Mavs for NBA DFS stacks in this spot, since they should be in a position to produce points, even without Davis and Kyrie Irving (knee).
The Pelicans, though, have proven to be a little feisty, and their record is to some degree a result of their tough schedule. They had a few close losses and were only really blown out by the Celtics, Nuggets and Thunder, who are all strong teams.
The line opened at 6.5 points and has moved to 8.5 points, so I actually like the value available by taking the Pelicans and the points. Even if they run out of gas and can’t win on back-to-back nights, I think they’re scrappy enough to keep this game close and at least cover the spread, like they have in three of their seven games this season.
Best bet: Pelicans +8.5 (-115)
