New Orleans Pelicans at Mavericks
(6:30 p.m., Friday, American Airlines Center, Dallas)
TV: Fox Sports Southwest, ESPN
Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM (Univision 1270 AM, Spanish)
About the Mavericks (12-14): They finally get to see the Pelicans this season. The first scheduled meeting between these teams was Jan. 11, but the COVID-19 outbreak among Mavericks players forced postponement of that game. It will be rescheduled during the second half of the season, which has yet to be announced . . . The Mavericks have won three in a row at home for the first time this season. They still are only 5-7 at AAC, where they have three games left on their marathon seven-game home stand . . . Luka Dončić is coming off the 32nd triple-double of his three-year career after amassing 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the 118-117 win over Atlanta on Wednesday . . . The currently is running second among Western Conference guards in All-Star voting, behind only Golden State’s Steph Curry and just ahead of Portland’s Damian Lillard . . . The Mavericks won all four meetings with the Pelicans in 2019-20, including one game by 21 points and another by 46. Notable, however, is that the final meeting was an overtime contest that the Mavericks pulled out 127-123 when Zion Williamson was beginning to roll and Lonzo Ball hit 7-of-11 3-pointers . . . Kristaps Porzingis had 34 points and 12 rebounds in that game against the Pels last February. He also had four double-doubles in five games before battling foul trouble on Wednesday against Atlanta . . . The Mavericks are favored against the Pels by just two points.
About the Pelicans (11-13): They had won four games in a row before getting whipped in Chicago to start this four-game trip . . . Against the Bulls, the Pelicans allowed 40 or more points in the first and third quarters. Chicago was able to shoot 59 percent for the game, including 25-of-47 from 3-point range. That’s 53 percent, if your calculator isn’t nearby . . . Defending the 3-point line has been a major challenge for the Pels all season. They are last in the NBA in both 3-pointers allowed (15.8) and taken (41.5). They also allow opponents to hit 38 percent from beyond the arc. Sounds like a good opportunity for the Mavericks to give their 3-point numbers a push . . . Brandon Ingram and Williamson have become one of the best offensive tandems in the league, both averaging nearly 24 points per game. And they are a legit inside-outside duo. Ingram is hitting nearly 40 percent of his 3-point shots. Williamson shoots better than 60 percent from inside the arc . . . One stat to watch for in this one is rebounding. The Pelicans are one of the best in the league, with Steven Adams, Josh Hart and Williamson all averaging more than seven rebounds per game. The Pels outrebound opponents by an average of five boards per game.
Twitter: @ESefko
Share and comment