The New Orleans Pelicans (13-42) travel to face off against the Dallas Mavericks (30-26) on Friday, February 21st. This game will be played at American Airlines Center in Dallas and televised on KFAA. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 8:30 ET.

Pelicans vs Mavericks

The Pelicans Are Coming Off A Win

The Pelicans improved to 13-42 on the season with a 140-133 home win over the Kings on Thursday. New Orleans entered the game as +8 point underdogs and covered the spread with the win. The total points of 273 exceeded the O/U line of 235 by 38 points.

New Orleans overcame a 15-0 run by the Kings, who extended their lead from 48-43 to 63-43. The Pelicans responded by outscoring Sacramento 38-30 in the 3rd quarter and held a 98-95 lead going into the 4th, where they were outscored 32-29 but managed to hold on for the win.

The Mavericks Are Coming Off A Win

The Mavericks improved to 30-26 this season with a 118-113 win over the Heat on Thursday. Dallas, who were +3 point underdogs, not only won but covered the spread. The total points for the game reached 231, surpassing the O/U line of 217.5 by 13.5 points.

Dallas, playing at home, edged out Miami in the 3rd quarter, 29-27, and entered the 4th quarter with an 84-83 lead. After the Heat went on a 10-0 run to go up 75-65, the Mavericks responded by outscoring Miami 34-30 in the final period to secure the win.

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

The Pelicans put up 140 points in their win over the Kings, shooting 50% from the field and knocking down 21 threes at a 42% clip. CJ McCollum led the way with 43 points, hitting 7 threes at 58.3% efficiency, and added 7 rebounds.

McCollum scored 21 points in the 3rd quarter and added 11 more in overtime. Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy each contributed 18 points, with Murphy also dishing out 11 assists. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored 13 of his 16 points in the 4th quarter.

Mavericks Offense Breakdown

Dante Exum led the Mavericks to a 118-113 win over the Heat, scoring 27 points on 84.6% shooting. He added 12 points in the 2nd quarter and 10 more in the 4th. Max Christie contributed 19 points, despite shooting just 27.3% from three, while Spencer Dinwiddie added 18 points, with 9 coming in the 2nd quarter and 7 more in the 4th.

Kessler Edwards was a key contributor in the 3rd quarter, scoring 13 of his 15 points during that period. As a team, the Mavericks shot 51.1% from the field and hit 13 threes at a 36.1% rate.

Pelicans Team Defense

Even with a shaky defensive performance, the Pelicans managed to secure a win, allowing 133 points to the Kings. New Orleans gave up 29 points in the 1st quarter, 36 in the 2nd, 30 in the 3rd, and 32 in the 4th. Sacramento shot 43% from the field.

The Kings hit 17 threes at a 36% clip. They also went 18/21 from the free-throw line. The Pelicans grabbed 38 defensive rebounds but allowed 21 offensive boards. They also recorded 11 steals and 7 blocks.

Mavericks Team Defense

Despite giving up 133 points, the Pelicans managed to secure a win against the Kings. They allowed 29 points in the 1st quarter and 36 in the 2nd. In the 3rd, they gave up 30 points, and in the 4th, they allowed 32. Overall, the Kings shot 43% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Kings hit 17 threes at a 36% clip. The Pelicans sent the Kings to the line 21 times, where they made 18 free throws. The Pelicans grabbed 38 defensive rebounds but allowed 21 offensive boards. They also recorded 11 steals and 7 blocks.

Pelicans vs Mavericks Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Pelicans have a straight up record of 0-5 while going 1-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 111 points per game in this stretch.
• Through their last five home contests, the Mavericks offense has averaged 116 points per game while allowing an average of 127. Dallas posted an overall record of 2-3 while going 2-2-1 ATS.
• Going back to their last three games as the underdog, the Pelicans have a straight up record of 1-2. But, their mark vs the spread was just 1-2.
• Over the team’s last five games as the favorite, the Mavericks struggled vs the spread going just 2-2-1. However, they still had a straight up mark of 3-2.

Pelicans vs Mavericks Prediction

The Pelicans come in as the underdog at +6, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 237, and our model predicts the Pelicans and Mavericks to score a combined 182 points. We recommend betting on the under.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.