The Dallas Mavericks (1-1) and New Orleans Pelicans (2-1) will square off on Tuesday in New Orleans.
The Pelicans suffered their first loss of the 2022 campaign over the weekend. The defeat came in the form of a heartbreaking 1-point loss to the Utah Jazz. Nevertheless, the Pelicans have looked strong to open the season.
Dallas has endured a fairly tough schedule to open the year. They were defeated by the Suns in their opener but rebounded with a victory over the Grizzlies in Game 2.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM EST at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Let’s take a look at the Mavericks vs Pelicans betting picks and odds for this game.
Dallas Mavericks vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are once again led by Luka Doncic. People wondered whether they had enough depth around him to contend once again this season. So far for Dallas, the bench has displayed depth prowess.
Christian Wood has played a quality brand of basketball to open the season. If he remains on the bench, he could very well win the 6th Man of the Year award. But one has to wonder if he will work his way into the starting lineup at some point.
Wood scored 25 points in the Mavs’ recent win over the Grizzlies. Meanwhile, Luka led Dallas with 32 points to go along with 10 assists. Spencer Dinwiddie and Tim Hardaway Jr also contributed to the victory.
The Mavs feature a stronger roster than expected and will be competitive in the West this year. The Mavericks betting odds have not yet been released for this game, but they will have a strong chance of covering the spread whatever the number may be.
Key Injuries
Dallas comes into this game at full health. They have no injuries to report on at the moment.
Betting Trends to Know
The Mavs are 2-0 against the spread to open the season. They were defeated in Phoenix by the Suns in buzzer beater fashion to open the year. They played well, but the Suns ultimately earned a 2-point victory.
The effort was good enough for those who placed spread picks on Dallas, as the Mavs covered on the road. And they easily covered in their recent blowout victory over Memphis.
This is one of those NBA matchups where they will feel confident heading into the game. The Pelicans are dealing with early-season injury trouble, which we will touch on in a moment.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are off to a nice start to the 2022 campaign. They are a sneaky contender that has a solid roster. So far in 2022, New Orleans has defeated both the Nets and Hornets prior to narrowly losing to the Jazz.
Big 3
Their emerging big three of CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson, and Brandon Ingram is a force to be reckoned with. All three players bring various talents to the game, which bodes well for New Orleans.
Key Injuries
The Pelicans’ kryptonite this season will be injuries. If they can keep their stars on the floor, they will be fine. However, the team is already dealing with the injury bug.
Brandon Ingram was recently placed in concussion protocol. Initial news listed him as questionable on the NBA injury report. But his odds of playing diminished greatly when he was placed in concussion protocol.
Long-term Injury
Zion Williamson is listed as questionable and appears to have avoided any form of long-term injury. The big man suffered a hip ailment but should return sooner rather than later. His status for Tuesday’s game has not yet been announced.
New Orleans would love to have Zion available to take on Luka and the Mavs, but they won’t risk anything this early in the year.
Betting Trends to Know
Just like their moneyline record, the Pelicans are 2-1 against the spread this season. The Pelicans betting stats do not differ all that much from their other stats.
They upset the odds in Brooklyn and Charlotte before getting upset by Utah in their last game.
It will be interesting to see if they are listed as favorites or underdogs for Tuesday’s game. If Ingram and Williamson can’t play, Dallas will likely be a convincing favorite.
Mavericks vs. Pelicans Odds Breakdown
Again, the odds will ultimately be decided by which players are active. In the end, Dallas’ chances of winning are higher, given the health of their roster.
Luka Doncic and the company expect to take care of business on the road. But CJ McCollum and the remainder of New Orleans’ roster won’t go down without a fight.
This should still be a quality matchup between these two NBA teams.
Dallas Mavericks vs. New Orleans Pelicans Betting Picks
Moneyline
The Mavs are the team to take with your outright betting selection. Making your Mavericks vs Pelicans betting picks won’t be an easy decision, but Dallas profiles well in this affair.
New Orleans has surrendered no less than 108 points through their first three games. Their underwhelming defensive effort has been balanced out by impressive offensive numbers.
But with two of their stars questionable, the offense may not be there. That also means the defense will take a hit.
Luka Doncic is destined for a huge performance. The Mavs’ role players will also help matters throughout this contest.
NBA Pick: Mavericks (-190)
Over/Under
The Pelicans rely on scoring, and Dallas is going to have a big offensive night, given New Orleans’ woes. Even with the injuries, the Pelicans should still be able to produce decent offensive results.
Taking the over in this game is the best bet for the total.
NBA Pick: Over 219.5 (-110)
Spread
The spread pick is a bit more challenging. But the Mavs’ all-around depth makes them a better bet to cover the spread on the road.
If their defense is able to keep New Orleans from posting a huge number, Dallas will cruise to a spread victory.
NBA Pick: Mavericks -4.5 (-110)
Dallas Mavericks vs. New Orleans Pelicans Score Prediction
After reviewing the Mavericks vs Pelicans betting picks and odds, the Mavericks are the pick to click. They should be able to earn a victory of around 10 points or so.
Look for Dallas to win by a score of somewhere between 115-105 and 120-110.
NBA Pick: Mavericks (-190)
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