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The New Orleans Pelicans will battle the Dallas Mavericks on Monday for their 11th game of the ongoing NBA 2021-22 season.
The match will feature two teams that have been poles apart. While the Mavs are playing clutch, the Pelicans seem to be sinking already. The Mavericks are 6-3 on the season after beating the Boston Celtics 107-104.
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have won just once in ten games this season. They went down 126-85 to the Golden State Warriors in their last game.
Match Details
Fixture: New Orleans Pelicans vs Dallas Mavericks | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Monday, November 8th; 8:30 PM ET (Tuesday, November 9th; 7:00 AM IST).
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX.
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans are 1-9 after ten matches played this season. Their record is not only the worst in their conference but also the entire league.
They will head to Dallas with a six-game losing streak behind them. The issue with the Pelicans' offense is that they rely too much on their starters. Even with Zion Williamson yet to make an appearance, only five of their players are averaging double-digit points per game.
As a team, the Pelicans are scoring 101.4 points per game, the fourth-lowest in the league this season. Meanwhile, their opponents are averaging 112.7 points per game against them.
Of their 101.4 points, five players have contributed 84.4 points, while their bench has scored the remainder. Both their offensive (102.3) and defensive (113.7) ratings are among the league's bottom five this season; their bench is the undeniable reason for that.
Key Player - Jonas Valanciunas
Brandon Ingram has missed four consecutive games due to a hit contusion. He was the leading scorer for the New Orleans Pelicans, so his absence has left a scoring void in his team. Jonas Valanciunas, a 6' 11" center, has risen to the occasion to score as much as possible for a team that has seemingly forgotten how to win.
Valanciunas started the season on a disappointing note. In the New Orleans Pelicans' season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, he scored nine points. He has been brilliant in an otherwise impactless Pelicans team.
In the only victory registered by the Pelicans this season, the former Memphis Grizzlies center scored 22 points and snatched 23 rebounds against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Considering his form, Valanciunas could be a key player against the Dallas Mavericks.
New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup
G - Nickeil Alexander-Walker; G - Devonte' Graham; F - Josh Hart; F - Garrett Temple; C - Jonas Valanciunas.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
With Kristaps Porzingis back and supposedly in good form, the Dallas Mavericks are now almost at full strength. Maxi Kleber, who is expected to make a return this week, is the only one unavailable for this game. Jason Kidd's team has a simple mantra: when everything else fails, pass the ball to Luka Doncic.
The Dallas Mavericks have a 6-3 record on the season, which is praise-worthy as Porzingis has missed five games. The Mavericks are averaging 101.8 points per game, while their opponents are averaging 106.1 against them.
Their defensive rating (108.1) is 19th-best in the league, while their offensive rating (103.6) is 23rd-best. Nevertheless, the Mavericks have won six times already in nine games this season.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
It is awe-inspiring to witness what Luka Doncic has accomplished at 22. He has averaged 20+ points for four consecutive seasons. He is one of only five rookies to have averaged at least 20 points, five assists and five rebounds in the league's history. This season as well, the 22-year-old Slovenian has no plans to slow down.
Doncic has been a match-winner this season. In the game against the Boston Celtics, he scored a game-winning shot. He scored 33 points, snatched nine rebounds and recorded five assists in the game. Furthermore, he landed five of his ten three-point attempts.
It will be interesting to see how the Dallas Mavericks' golden boy bullies the leaderless New Orleans Pelicans.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Tim Hardaway Jr.; G - Luka Doncic; F - Kristaps Porzingis; F - Dorian Finney-Smith; C - Dwight Powell.
Pelicans vs Mavericks Match Prediction
The New Orleans Pelicans are comfortably in a slump. Willie Green was handed a squad that won only 31 games in 2020-21, even with Ingram and Williamson playing 61 games apiece.
With no timetable yet about the return of the Pelicans' two key players, the Dallas Mavericks should have enough to down the sinking New Orleans Pelicans.
Where to watch Pelicans vs Mavericks?
Bally Sports SW-DAL and Bally Sports NO will be the local broadcasters for the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Dallas Mavericks. Meanwhile, fans can watch the game online via the NBA League pass if the game is unavailable in their region.
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