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The New Orleans Pelicans travel to Texas on Monday to take on the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. What would have been a marquee matchup between Zion Williamson and Luka Doncic could now be a pedestrian game because Williamson is injured.
The Mavericks have finally found their mojo after a slow start to their season, while the Pelicans are languishing at the bottom of the league standings.
Match Details
Fixture - New Orleans Pelicans vs Dallas Mavericks | NBA Season 2021-22.
Date & Time - Monday, November 8th, 2021; 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 currently the worst team in the league despite having the likes of Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and Devonte' Graham.
Zion Williamson's injury has possibly wrecked their playoff chances already, and his return, projected to be several weeks from now, might be too late. They are on a six-game losing streak, and have a 1-9 record so far. That is worse than rebuilding teams like the OKC Thunder, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons.
The Pelicans are not shooting the ball well from the floor in Williamson's absence. They are 27th in the league in true shooting (TS%) and 26th in FG% and offensive rating. To exacerbate matters, they are the sixth-highest in the league in turnovers, averaging roughly 16 per game. They are not only losing games, but are getting blown out. Their last three losses were by an average margin of 22 points.
Key Player - Jonas Valanciunas
Jonas Valanciunas has been left with the responsibility to carry the New Orleans Pelicans in the absence of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
Ingram is listed as questionable for this game due to a contusion in his hip. Valanciunas is leading the team in points, rebounds and blocks, with 19.3, 14.2 and 1.0 per game, respectively.
New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineup
G - Devonte' Graham | G - Nickeil Alexander-Walker | F - Josh Hart | F - Naji Marshall | C - Jonas Valanciunas.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks are 6-3 and third in the Western Conference standings right now, but one shouldn't get too excited with their record so far.
Their wins have come against non-playoff teams like the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets. Every time they faced a playoff contender - the Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat - they lost. However, they did change that narrative a bit by beating the Boston Celtics in their last game. But it took a game-winning buzzer-beater for the Mavericks to win on the night.
The Dallas Mavericks' offense under new head coach Jason Kidd hasn't been the best to start the season. They are sixth in the league in three-pointers attempted but 16th in threes made. They are 27th in the league in FG%, FT% and also 3P%.
Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis is facing slander everyday because of his inability to step up and improve his game. He is a constant likelihood to miss games, and has played just four games this season. He is averaging a career-low 14.8 points per game on just 35% shooting from the floor and 20% shooting from the three-point range.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Arguably the best player in the NBA under the age of 25, Luka Doncic is once again averaging MVP-caliber numbers and gaining early traction for the award.
He hit a monstrous game-winning buzzer-beater against the Boston Celtics in his last game. Doncic walked up the floor by himself,f and made the three-pointer under incredible pressure while being guarded by more than two defenders.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Luka Doncic | G - Tim Hardaway Jr. | F - Reggie Bullock | F - Kristaps Porzingis | C - Dwight Powell.
Pelicans vs Mavericks Match Prediction
The 6-3 Dallas Mavericks are the obvious favorites to win against the 1-9 New Orleans Pelicans. The Mavericks have the better team, while the New Orleans Pelicans are dealing with injuries.
Where to watch the Pelicans vs Mavericks game?
The matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Dallas Mavericks will be broadcast locally on Bally Sports Southwest - Dallas (SW-DAL) and Bally Sports New Orleans (NO). The game can also be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Moreover, fans can tune in to the radio at 97.1 FM / S: 99.1 FM and ESPN 100.3FM to listen to the match's live commentary.
