The New Orleans Pelicans saw their seven-game road winning streak come to a grinding halt in Denver on Friday night with a 125-113 loss to the Nuggets.
Tonight the Pelicans will try to make a quick turnaround playing the second night of a back-to-back and the first game of two against the Dallas Mavericks.
Both teams have been playing well as of late, each winning six of their last 10.
Against the Nuggets, the Pelicans got away from what had been successful for them this season. Denver scored 100 points through three quarters, dominated the Pels on the glass, and made their shots both inside and outside of the three-point line.
New Orleans was unable to find any balance offensively. Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas, and Larry Nance Jr. combined for 60 points on 23/39 shooting (.589), while the rest of the Pelicans scored 53 points while connecting on only 38% of their shots.
After splitting their first two games of the season, both teams will be entering this game without key players. Zion Williamson will miss this game due to rest, his eighth absence of the season. The Mavs will be without the services of perennial MVP candidate Luka Doncic, while he nurses a sprained ankle.
For New Orleans, that puts a greater burden on Brandon Ingram. Ingram hasn’t scored 20 points in a game since he dropped 26 on the Lakers on New Year’s Eve. Since then, he’s averaged 13.3 pts, 3.8 rebs, and 5.2 asts per game. His shooting numbers have been fine, but he’s averaged under 11 attempts from the floor over his last six games. Ingram will have to be more aggressive against the Mavs for the Pels to have a chance.
Aggression has never been a concern for Mavs guard Kyrie Irving. Since returning from injury on Jan. 1, he’s been on fire, averaging 29.8 pts, 7.8 rebs, 5.5 asts, 2.2 stls, and 1.0 blks per game over his last six while shooting better than 51% from the floor and making 53% of his three-point attempts.
This game could be critical as a tie-breaker within the division and in the incredibly tight Western Conference standings. Earning at least a split against the Mavericks over these two games is important to the Pelicans getting back on track and closing this road trip on a high.
Once again it will be strength vs. strength. The Mavericks want to play uptempo and shoot plenty of triples, while the Pelicans will look to control the pace defensively and defend the perimeter.
Dallas has also been one of the best clutch teams in the NBA, with a 13-5 record in those games. New Orleans, which hasn’t played many clutch games lately, remains below .500 in clutch situations (6-8).
With out without Zion Williamson, rested or not, if the Pelicans want to truly be considered a contender in the West they have to win games like this on the road.
Most Recent Starting Lineups
| New Orleans Pelicans | Dallas Mavericks |
| G – CJ McCollum | G – Kyrie Irving |
| G – Herb Jones | G – Tim Hardaway Jr. |
| F – Brandon Ingram | F – Josh Green |
| F – Zion Williamson | F – Derrick Jones Jr. |
| C – Jonas Valanciunas | C – Dwight Powell |
Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: Matt Ryan (right elbow surgery) and Zion Williamson (rest) are Out. Brandon Ingram (right Achilles soreness), CJ McCollum (right ankle sprain), and Trey Murphy III (left knee tendonitis) are Questionable.
Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic (ankle) and Dante Exum (foot) are Out.
Who: New Orleans Pelicans (23-16) at Dallas Mavericks (23-16)
Season Series:
- Nov. 12: Mavericks def. Pelicans, 136-124
- Nov. 14: Pelicans def. Mavericks, 131-110 (In-Season Tournament)
- Jan. 13: Pelicans at Mavericks
- Jan. 15: Pelicans at Mavericks
Where: American Airlines Center
When: Jan. 13, 7:30 PM CT
Where to watch: Bally Sports New Orleans
Where to listen: WRNO 99.5
For more content, visit HITP Sports on YouTube or HITP Sports online.
READ MORE
- As Decision Looms on Valanciunas’ Future, His Contributions Are Greater Than Ever
- Mile High Mission: Pelicans Can Tie Franchise Road Streak Record With Win Over Nuggets
- A Healthy Larry Nance Jr. Brings a Bit of Everything to The Pelicans
- Dethroning Kings Would Be A Great Start to Pelicans’ 5-Game Road Trip
- Trigga’d: Trey Murphy III’s Elite Shooting Sparks Pelicans
- Surging Pelicans Face Clippers with Both Teams Riding 4-Game Win Streaks
- Where Brooklyn At?: Pelicans Begin New Year Hunting 3rd Straight Victory
- Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Pelicans Coaches Must Do Better to Reverse Late-Game Woes
- Jordan Hawkins’ Flight Path Hasn’t Been Smooth, But He’s Still Ascending
- New Orleans Pelicans’ Attack Ramps Up; Long-Range Shooting Spike May Be Here to Stay
Depth is a nice problem
If the Pels pay max money to BI, they are out of their effin’ mind
Agree. Curious why Jose did not play at all