Dallas Mavericks vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Pick & Prediction 1/15/25
At 8:00 ET, the Dallas Mavericks (-146) will take on the New Orleans Pelicans (+120) in a Western Southwest division matchup. The Mavericks are favored by 3 points and have a record of 22-18, while the Pelicans are 9-32 and have lost two straight games.
This game will be played at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans and can be seen on Gulf TV. The over/under line for this game is 225 points.
DALLAS MAVERICKS VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS BETTING PICK
The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +3
This game will be played at Smoothie King Center at 8:00 ET on Wednesday, January 15th.
WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 134-112 in favor of the Pelicans.
- Our projections have Zion Williamson finishing with 23 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Pelicans finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.5% and knocking down 15 threes.
Does Dallas Have a Shot at a Road Win?
The Mavericks fell to 22-18 on the season after a 118-99 home loss to the Nuggets on Tuesday. Dallas, who entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 217 points was well below the pre-game total of 235.
Denver took control early, outscoring Dallas 36-21 in the 1st quarter and 35-24 in the 2nd. A 12-0 run by the Mavs brought them closer, but they couldn’t sustain the momentum. Although Dallas outscored Denver 32-27 in the 4th quarter, it wasn’t enough to overcome the 91-67 deficit they faced going into the final period.
In their 99-point effort against the Nuggets, the Mavericks struggled offensively, shooting just 42.2% from the field and hitting only 9 threes at a 28.1% clip. Daniel Gafford led the team with 13 points, scoring 6 in the 1st quarter and 7 in the 3rd.
Naji Marshall and Kyrie Irving each added 11 points, with Marshall scoring 9 in the 4th. Irving shot just 22.2% from the field, contributing 5 points in the 2nd quarter.
Defensively, the Mavericks struggled in the 1st and 2nd quarters, giving up 71 points, but they tightened up in the 3rd, allowing just 20. Overall, they allowed 118 points on 51% shooting from the field.
From beyond the arc, Dallas allowed Denver to hit 13 threes at a 44% clip. The Nuggets also went 19/22 from the free-throw line. The Mavericks finished with 14 steals and 6 blocks.
Will the Pelicans Make it Happen at Home?
The Pelicans improved to 9-32 on the season with a 119-113 win over the Bulls on Tuesday. New Orleans, who were +1.5 point underdogs, not only won but also covered the spread. The game’s total points of 232 fell short of the 243.5 O/U line.
New Orleans went on an 11-0 run in the 4th quarter, extending their lead from 33-27 to 44-27. They outscored Chicago 33-27 in both the 3rd and 4th quarters.
The Pelicans managed to put up 119 points in their win over the Bulls, despite shooting just 43.8% from the field and 28% from three-point range. They made 14 threes in the game, with Dejounte Murray hitting 4 of them, despite shooting just 28.6% overall.
Trey Murphy led the way with 32 points, scoring 11 of those in the 3rd quarter. Zion Williamson added 21 points, with 9 coming in the opening period. Jose Alvarado also came up big, scoring all 12 of his points in the 4th quarter.
Despite a rough start, allowing 33 points in the 1st quarter, the Pelicans tightened up their defense, giving up just 27 points in each of the final two quarters to help secure the win. They held the Bulls to 44% shooting overall.
New Orleans did a solid job defending the three, with Chicago hitting 14 threes on 32% shooting. The Pelicans also sent the Bulls to the line just 12 times, where they made 9 free throws. Defensively, the Pelicans recorded 11 steals and 5 blocks.