"Monster" Zion Williamson's debut vs. Luka Doncic: Mavs GAMEDAY vs. Pelicans
DALLAS- Not only will tonight’s showdown between the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans be a crucial battle in Western Conference standings … It’ll also likely be a spectacle between two of the most exciting young players in the NBA.
Rookie sensation Zion Williamson leads the playoff hopeful Pelicans and is expected to play in his first back-to-back against Dallas. Williamson extended his 20-point streak to 12 consecutive games last night in a tough home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. His streak holds the record for the longest by a teenager in NBA history.
It’ll be the first time Williamson and Luka Doncic are on the court against each other. However, Doncic has been admiring from afar, calling Williamson, “a monster” during the All-Star break.
Doncic and the Mavs are 3-0 against the Pelicans this season, before Williamson was healthy.
Doncic , who turned just 21 years old last week, has his own jaw-dropping stats. His 21 triple-doubles recorded before his 21st birthday are by far the most by a player younger than 21 years-old in NBA history. He’s already tied Jason Kidd’s franchise record for most triple-doubles.
Desperation? Maybe not, but ... A win is essential for the Mavs, who are in the thick of the West and vying for better playoff seeding. A win is vital for the Pelicans, who are four games behind the eighth-ranked Memphis Grizzlies, to snag the final playoff spot in the West.
Kristaps Porzingis is the Player of the Week in the West, so Luka should have some help here. Who comes out the victor?
Three-Pointer Prowess: Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry have never been better from beyond the arc. Hardaway Jr. is shooting a career-high 40.3 percent while Curry is shooting 56.1 percent from three-point range in his last 10 games. Curry’s career three-point shooting is 44.1 percent, which ranks second in NBA history, only trailing Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Barea Watch: J.J. Barea has made 592 3-pointers with Dallas and needs eight to become the seventh player in Mavericks history with 600-plus triples.
Game time: 8:30 p.m. (CT)
Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
TV/Radio: FSSW, ESPN, 103.3 FM, Univision, 1270 AM (Spanish)
Records: Mavericks (37-25, 7th in the West), Pelicans (26-35, 12th in the West)
Betting line: Dallas is a 6-point favorite with a 238.5 game total over/under.
Injury update: Mavs- Seth Curry: Questionable (low back tightness), J.J. Barea: Questionable (right ankle soreness), Jalen Brunson: OUT (shoulder), Dwight Powell: out for season (Achilles).
Pelicans- JJ Redick: OUT, Darius Miller: OUT, Nico Melli: day-to-day.
