Mavericks vs. Pelicans Prediction
Can the New Orleans Pelicans get back to the .500 mark tonight when they play host to the Dallas Mavericks at 8PM ET?
515 Dallas Mavericks at 516 New Orleans Pelicans
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
8PM ET – Smoothie King Center
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Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, New Orleans is favored at home, as the Pelicans are getting odds of -6.5 points against the Mavericks. The over/under total for the contest is currently listed at 227.5 points. The public betting currently has 74 percent going on the Pelicans at home. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our NBA Public Betting Page for updated figures on the game.
Mavericks on a run
Dallas picked up a 111-102 win over Portland on Tuesday night for its fifth win in six games. The Mavericks are now 12-10 on the season, 2-8 on the road, 15-7 against the spread and 12-10 with the over. The Mavs have also covered in five of their last six.
The Mavericks have a respectable defense, allowing 108.5 points per game. They give up the fourth-fewest rebounds in the league at just 42.2 per game. Offensively, Dallas puts up 110.8 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field. Rookie Luka Doncic is putting up 18.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. DeAndre Jordan is adding 11.5 points and 13.8 rebounds per contest.
Pelicans struggling for consistency
New Orleans is coming off a 129-126 loss at home over the Clippers on Monday night. They have lost six of their last eight games. New Orleans is 12-13 overall, 9-3 at home, 11-14 against the spread and 15-10 with the over. The Pelicans have failed to cover in five of their last seven.
NO has one of the best offenses in the NBA, averaging 118.1 points per game while shooting 47.9 percent. They rank in the top four of both categories and are also fourth in the league in rebounding with 48.0 per game. Defensively, New Orleans is one of the worst in the NBA. The Pelicans are giving up 116.7 points per game while allowing opponents to shoot 46.8 percent from the floor. Anthony Davis is having another great year with 28.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.71 blocks per game. Nikola Mirotic is adding 18.9 points and 10 rebounds per game, but he is questionable to play tonight due to an illness.
NBA Betting Trends
Dallas
The Mavericks are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight conference games, but just 1-5 ATS in their last six games playing on no rest.
New Orleans
The Pelicans are 19-9 against the spread in their last 28 conference games and 4-1 ATS in their last five against Southwest opponents.
Prediction:
The Mavs are playing some good basketball right now, but a back-to-back with travel isn’t easy and I think it will hurt them tonight. The Pelicans can match up well with Dallas in terms of rebounding and taking away a strength for the Mavericks. Davis should be able to dominate in the paint, even with Jordan playing for Dallas. The Pelicans need the win more as well, as it can’t continue to fall in the Western Conference standings.
NBA Prediction: New Orleans Pelicans -6.5