Riding a rough streak into Saturday afternoon, the New Orleans Pelicans have another tough matchup with a Western Conference leader.
Between tough scheduling, just about every player on the roster missing a game with an injury, and simply not able to get good bounces at the end of games, the New Orleans Pelicans are having a heck of a time trying to catch a break.
They’ll have a hard time catching a break today when they head to see the Dallas Mavericks, a team that stands fourth in the Western Conference with a 15-6 record and beat the Pelicans in an effortless 118-97 victory on Tuesday evening in the Big Easy.
This Thursday afternoon edition of Pelicans’ basketball tips off at 1 p.m. CT from the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Last time out, the Mavericks’ key players sat for the final quarter as their bench unit made easy work of a less-than-focused Pelicans’ squad.
In that game, Luka Dončić had another MVP-level performance, posting 38 points and a career-high 18 rebounds despite only playing 29 minutes.
On the season, the second-year guard is averaging a gaudy 30.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.2 assists with a 61.7% true shooting rate.
It’ll be interesting to see how Lonzo Ball responds from an up-and-down week. He really struggled against Dallas on Tuesday but responded very well later in the week.
Most recently, he played his best game in a Pelicans’ jersey, posting 20 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks while going 4-of-5 from three and 6-of-9 from the floor in the team’s loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Still trying to find his way in New Orleans, Ball is averaging 11.6 points, 6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and shooting 36.6% from three after making major adjustments to his jump shot during the offseason.
The New Orleans Pelicans are currently on the rough end of a six-game losing streak and their 6-16 record ranks 14th in the Western Conference. Facing off against one of the best of the West, it could be a very tough night if the Pelicans continue to slack on the defensive end.
With the Dallas Mavericks ranking first in the league in offensive rating and the Pelicans ranking 29th in points allowed, it could be another tough night for New Orleans.
How to watch New Orleans Pelicans @ Dallas Mavericks
This afternoon, fans in the New Orleans media market can tune to Fox Sports New Orleans for the game, as long as they have an appropriate cable package.
Fans without a proper cable package but still want to watch the games all season can sign up for a Fubo TV account to catch the Pelicans.
How to listen to New Orleans Pelicans @ Dallas Mavericks
As always, ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM will have the call for all fans with access to a radio and who are close enough to the city to catch the frequency.
Fans who want to listen to New Orleans Pelicans’ games all season long but aren’t close enough to New Orleans should consider signing up for a TuneIn premium account.
What to read to get you ready for the action
After the New York Knicks pulled the plug on another second-year coach, Micah Wimmer of Pelican Debrief wonders if David Fizdale could be a good fit in New Orleans.
Over at Mavs Moneyball, Kirk Henderson broke down the three key things to watch as the Pelicans roll into Dallas.
Read the Nola.com report that explains Executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin’s recent comments on the return to action and load management plans for Zion Williamson.