Steve Starr
- Go to BetOnline or Bovada for the latest odds on the Pelicans vs Mavericks matchup
- Luka Doncic leads the NBA scoring race, averaging 33.4 points per game
- The Western Conference rivals tip off from Smoothie King Center at 10:00pm ET on Wednesday, March 8th
New Orleans (31-33) is in danger of falling out of the playoff race after losing 12 of 20 games since Zion Williamson went down with injury. Meanwhile, Dallas (33-32) has seen middling returns on its Kyrie Irving trade, dropping six of their last eight contests
Which of these Western Conference clubs will prevail on Wednesday night with postseason positioning on the line? Before we break down the matchup, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 NBA Finals and our tips for betting on the NBA.
Pelicans vs Mavericks
 | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
| Dallas Mavericks | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| New Orleans Pelicans | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Hard path for the Pelicans
Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans to three straight wins after returning from a two-month injury absence in late January. New Orleans went on to lose five of the next six contests before Ingram once again put his team on his shoulders with a 40-point effort in a victory against Portland last Wednesday.
The 25-year-old forward is averaging 29.5 points and 4.5 assists since his return to the lineup while shooting 51 percent from the field. However, Willie’s Green’s club looks destined to miss the postseason without Zion Williamson. The big man suffered a setback while rehabbing his right hamstring strain and there’s still no word on when he’ll return.
Brandon Ingram tonight:
40 points
6 boards
5 assistsHe’s really like that. pic.twitter.com/HfKrsFnTO0
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 2, 2023
Mavericks struggling
Trading for Kyrie Irving was supposed to make the Mavericks contenders in the West. But, Jason Kidd’s squad is just 4-6 since adding the All-Star guard to the lineup. Luka Doncic and Irving combined for 82 points in a huge win over the 76ers last Thursday. They then squandered a chance to beat Phoenix on Sunday when their Serbian superstar missed a wide-open layup with 11 seconds left.
Sitting in seventh place in the West, Dallas needs to string some victories together if they want to avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament.
New Orleans vs Dallas
Dallas has the sixth-worst record in the NBA against-the-spread (12-19) as a road team. New Orleans has been respectable at home with a 17-14 mark in the Smoothie Center. However, keep in mind that they racked up many of those Ws while Zion was in the lineup.
Only two clubs hit the OVER at a higher rate than the Mavericks (56.9%). That drops to 51.6% (16-15) when they’re playing on the road, but Pelicans home games go OVER 57.6% (19-14) of the time.
Luka Doncic:
“It’s a competitive game. It’s all good. Next time, just don’t wait until there’s three seconds left to talk.” 👀
(via @espn_macmahon) pic.twitter.com/wV2ZO116EO
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 5, 2023
Best Bet
With a tough home-and-home series coming up against the Grizzlies later in the week, Dallas should be plenty motivated on Wednesday night. But, as is the case with all NBA games, make sure to keep an eye on the starting lineup. With the Mavericks hosting the Jazz on Tuesday, Jason Kidd may choose to rest a starter or two in New Orleans.
Assuming the Mavs opt for load management in the second of back-to-back games, we like the Pelicans to cover at home against Dallas.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
