The Mavericks are coming off a tough loss Tuesday against Memphis, losing 114-105. On the other hand, the Pelicans are coming off of a 104-93 victory over the Knicks. The Mavs were unable to get anything going in the paint and to win tonight, they will need to play well in the paint against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans.
The Mavs match up well with New Orleans in some aspects. While Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday are going to be matchup nightmares for the Mavericks, Dallas has a significantly better bench and with no Eric Gordon, there isn’t as much of a threat from the three-point line, where the Mavs rank dead last in opposing three-point percentage.
Neither team’s defense is very strong, so it may come down to an offensive battle. The Mavericks are bottom 10 in points allowed, and the Pelicans are bottom 10 in opposing field goal percentage. Additionally, both teams rank in the bottom ten in defensive rating.
Overall, if this game comes down to an offensive battle, the Mavericks will have a clear edge. The Mavs will need to contain Anthony Davis as best as possible. They will also need to attack the paint more, which is where they excel this season. On a side note, this is Gal Mekel’s homecoming to Dallas, where he played his rookie season. He is now a backup point guard on the Pelicans and has been playing quite well for them.