DALLAS MAVERICKS (8-2, 1-1 WEST GROUP B) AT NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (4-6, 0-1 WEST GROUP B)
In-Season Tournament Ramifications
Under the NBA’s inaugural format, there’s little margin for error, making Tuesday’s meeting a virtual must-win for both teams’ hopes of having a chance to travel to Las Vegas in December. The Mavericks lost at Denver in their IST debut on Nov. 3, while the Pelicans were beaten narrowly in Houston on Friday, meaning both squads probably need to win out to have a chance to get out of Group B (mathematically, a team can still advance with a 2-2 record in pool play, but that would require a highly unlikely range of scenarios and favorable tiebreakers to occur). In New Orleans’ case, the most realistic way to reach the quarterfinal round (Dec. 4-5) is to beat Dallas (tonight), Denver (Friday) and the LA Clippers (Nov. 24), while having Houston lose at least twice in its final three games.
Beyond any IST impact, the Pelicans simply need a win. They fell behind the Mavericks by as much as 29 points Sunday in dropping their fifth game in a row. “There was a lot of good and bad,” Pelicans forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl said of the weekend loss, following this morning’s shootaround. “(We need to) be sharp, compete, bring energy. If you’re not competing, it’s hard to win games. So competing at a high level is really important, and communicating as well – making sure everyone’s on the same page.”
Around West Group B
The other Tuesday game within the group pits the LA Clippers (0-1) and Denver (1-0), with the Clips facing the same predicament as the Pels and Mavs, needing to prevail to avoid being on the precipice of IST elimination. … Houston (1-0) is the only idle team in the group Tuesday. The Rockets’ second IST game is scheduled for Friday on the Clippers’ home floor. Houston later will host Denver, then visit Dallas. … The Clippers are in a big early hole due to a point differential of minus-18. The Pelicans’ loss to the Rockets was only by three points.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl on NBA opportunity, In-Season Tournament | Pelicans Shootaround 11/14/23
Previous Game Starting Lineups
DALLAS (8-2)
Sunday win at New Orleans
Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., Grant Williams, Dereck Lively II
Notes: This group is 5-1. The Mavericks have a separate combination that is 2-0, featuring Josh Green instead of Irving, who missed victories at Memphis and vs. Chicago. … Dallas has used four different starting lineups and a total of eight different first-stringers. Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell have started one game apiece. … Kleber is listed as out due to a right small toe dislocation.
NEW ORLEANS (4-6)
Sunday loss vs. Dallas
Dyson Daniels, Jordan Hawkins, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas
Notes: This group is 0-2, losing previously at Houston, to a Rockets team that is now on a six-game winning streak. … New Orleans has used six different starting lineups and a total of nine different first-stringers. Matt Ryan and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl have started one game apiece, while Herb Jones and CJ McCollum have made seven and six starts, respectively. … Jones is listed as questionable to play Tuesday. McCollum, Jose Alvarado, Trey Murphy, Larry Nance Jr. and E.J. Liddell are all listed as out vs. Dallas.
FanDuel Keys to the Game
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Some box scores Sunday had Dallas winning fast-break points 28-13, others had it at 30-13, but no matter how that figure was ultimately calculated, it was far too much scoring allowed by New Orleans in that category. Willie Green stressed after Sunday’s defeat that the Pelicans must improve at changing ends of the floor; it’s particularly important against a Dallas team that leads the NBA in three-point makes (17.5 per game) and three-point percentage (40.0).
RECLAIM THE PAINT
This is not referring to the canisters of paint that were used to make the Smoothie King Center hardwood purple and green for Tuesday and Friday home games in Week 4 of the NBA schedule. No, the Pelicans need to win the battle in the lane, after the Mavericks won points in the paint by a 54-48 margin on Sunday. Dallas had been outscored in that department in seven consecutive games prior to that. New Orleans ranks 20th in paint points (47.8 per game) this season, while Dallas is No. 27 (43.6).
MATCHUP TO WATCH
It’s uncertain if New Orleans top defender Jones will play Tuesday, but whether or not “Not On Herb” is in uniform, the Pelicans need to do a much better job against Dallas stars Doncic and Irving. The All-Star backcourt combined to pile up 65 points Sunday, on 24/38 shooting from the field, including going 11/19 from three-point range.