NBA
New Orleans Pelicans vs Dallas Mavericks Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
Date: Friday 21st February 2025 Start time: 7:30 pm local time (1:30 am BST) Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas Last meeting: January 29, 2025, Dallas Mavericks 137-136 New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans travel to the Lone Star State to take on the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Kyrie Irving//Getty Images
The New Orleans Pelicans travel to the Lone Star State to take on the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. The Mavericks head into this fixture after winning their previous encounter against the Pelicans by one singular point, but both teams are placed eighth and last in the Western Conference. Can the Pelicans earn a surprise win, given their current position in the division, or will the Mavericks produce another close-fought win?
SportsBoom is at hand to produce an enticing preview of this game, where the article will look at both teams’ respective rosters and head-to-head records. We will share our value bets from both teams before sharing our final verdict.
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Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Dallas Mavericks: 5/6 (1.83) - 54.64%
New Orleans Pelicans: 6/5 (2.20) - 45.45%
Forecast odds – Betting available on Stake closer to event
For those looking to place bets, keeping an eye on online betting markets can provide valuable insights into shifting odds and potential value bets for this exciting NBA match.
Head-to-Head Record
The Dallas Mavericks are in a comfortable position in the overall head-to-heads. Throughout regular-season history, the Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans have entertained 85 fixtures.
This game has only been going on for just over two decades, but the Mavericks are the dominant side as they have produced 56 wins overall, whereas the Pelicans have only managed 29. Despite the small number, the Pelicans have won five matches since the 2022/23 NBA season, showcasing how dominant the Mavericks have been throughout the 21st century.
Last Five Matches
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2024/25 Season | January 29, 2025 | Dallas Mavericks 137-136 New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2024/25 Season | January 15, 2025 | New Orleans Pelicans 119-116 Dallas Mavericks |
| 2024/25 Season | November 19, 2024 | Dallas Mavericks 132-91 New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2023/24 Season | January 15, 2024 | Dallas Mavericks 125-120 Dallas Mavericks |
| 2023/24 Season | January 13, 2024 | New Orleans Pelicans 118-108 Dallas Mavericks |
How is the season so far for both teams?
New Orleans Pelicans
- Record: 13-42
- Home Form: 9-19
- Road Form: 4-23
The New Orleans Pelicans are the bottom seed in the Western Conference, with their current record sitting at 13-42. It’s evident to see that the organization are aiming to see the year through and plan for the future, but the final finishing position is unclear. Could the Pelicans overtake the 14th seed from the Utah Jazz by the end of the season? The team are only 0.5 games behind with one more game played.
The 2018 first overall pick Zion Williamson returned at the start of the month and has posted decent numbers, but despite playing only 18 games this season due to recovering from injuries, he will need more time to get back to match sharpness. He should be ready to get back on the court after missing the recent game against the Sacramento Kings.
Appearing in 41 games this season, CJ McCollum is the current franchise leader who is active at present. He is posting 22.5 points per game as the 33-year-old veteran has stepped up his game in his third year in New Orleans. It’s fair to say though that the Pelicans are very unfortunate with injuries, but his importance shines through in the face of adversity.
Dallas Mavericks
- Record: 30-26
- Home Form: 17-11
- Road Form: 13-15
The Dallas Mavericks are adjusting to the post-Luca Doncic era after trading their best player to the Los Angeles Lakers. The organization are the eighth seed in the West, placed right in the middle of the tail end of the final playoff places but out of play-in contention. The franchise is four games above .500 after the halfway stage of the season.
After making an impressive debut with the Mavericks after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in part of the Doncic trade deal, Anthony Davis forced himself out of contention after picking up an injury. He posted an impressive 26 points and an even more impressive 16 rebounds before he walked off. He will be a big miss as he is sidelined for a month, but when he returns, he could be a key part of the late playoff charge.
It’s not all bad in Dallas, as their leading scorer who is healthy is 32-year-old Kyrie Irving. Having played in 44 games this season, the second most starts after their newest signing Klay Thompson, Irving is averaging 24.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and assists, showcasing his offensive capabilities.
Value Bets
Kyrie Irving, Over 25 Points and 9 Assists: Historically, Kyrie Irving has posted impressive numbers in his career against the New Orleans Pelicans. Across 23 games, he has produced an average of 27.1 points and 6.2 assists per game. We expect him to replicate his stat line from the meeting just over a fortnight ago, where he threw 25 points and assisted on nine occasions.
CJ McCollum, Over 15 Points: CJ McCollum could be of use for this encounter for the away team, as he has produced varied results across his time in Louisiana against the Mavericks. He has an average of 22.9 points per game and achieved a record high in 2022 when he threw 38 points. The Pelicans will hope he can produce this once more to stand a clear chance of winning after a difficult season for the franchise.
Prediction: Dallas Mavericks to win
In conclusion, SportsBoom predicts the Dallas Mavericks will win. Realistically, this fixture has every possibility of being as close as it was in their previous meeting, but the Mavericks should get the job done. The Mavericks need Irving to provide a superstar performance, but this win is likely to happen due to having a favourable head-to-head record and being in better form altogether.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.
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