NEW ORLEANS – It wasn’t that long ago that the New Orleans Pelicans were rolling along as one of the new top dogs in the Western Conference.

They were 23-12 and had won five games in a row. That was on Dec. 30.

Since New Year’s Eve, things haven’t been good at all for the Pelicans, thanks mainly to the injury gods that have been rather nasty to them. A couple games after their high-water mark, Zion Williamson went out with a hamstring injury and has been out for two months. An assortment of other injuries has sent the Pelicans to an 8-22 record since.

They shouldn’t expect any sympathy from the Mavericks, who are coming off a hard-fought win over the Utah Jazz. That victory put a lid on a disappointing 3-3 homestand that included three razor-thin losses to high-quality opponents.

But let’s take a closer look at the stay at American Airlines Center. Here’s a closer inspection of some of the numbers the Mavericks had in the six game stay at home.

The Mavericks shot 256-of-514 from the field (49.8 percent). Their opponents were 263-of-520 (50.6 percent).

They were outrebounded by an average of 44.5 to 37.8.

They outscored their opponents by 29 points in the six games. Their three wins came by 7, 26 and 4 points. The losses were by 2,3 and 4 points.

Of all those numbers, the rebounding and the opponents’ shooting percentage should be the most concerning for the Mavericks and their fans.

They are areas that need improvement.

And they’ll have their chance starting Wednesday in a quick turnaround against the Pelicans, after which the Mavericks will have a disjointed trip. They play at Memphis on Saturday, but are scheduled to squeeze in a well-deserved rest night at home in between these games.

Here’s what else to look for as the Mavericks try to get rolling on the road:

  • The Mavericks are only 2-8 on the second night of back-to-back games. They beat Utah on Tuesday to improve to 6-5 on the front end of such situations. With the Pelicans being shorthanded, this should be a chance to pad the record on the back end of consecutive games. Coach Jason Kidd said that red-hot Tim Hardaway Jr. should be OK after he finished Tuesday’s game despite an ankle injury.
  • The Mavericks lost at New Orleans in October, but won the two games in Dallas. A win Wednesday would give them the season series 3-1.
  • Kyrie Irving is coming off a 33-point, eight-assist, six-rebound performance against the Jazz.
  • The Pelicans are starting a four-game home stand and they need some home cooking. They have lost six of their last seven. In addition to Williamson, they will be missing Jose Alvarado (knee) and Larry Nance Jr. (ankle).
  • Among the healthy Pelicans, they are led by Brandon Ingram at 23 points per game and C.J. McCollum at 21 per game. The Mavericks also have been hurt in the past by Jonas Valanciunas, who is averaging 14.3 points and 9.7 rebounds.

DALLAS MAVERICKS (34-32) at NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (31-34)

  • When: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday.
  • Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans.
  • TV: Bally Sports Southwest, ESPN.
  • Radio:1 FM, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).

Twitter: @ESefko

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