Mavs Game Observations: Game 15 vs Pelicans

First three-game winning streak of the season

Photo by Sam Hodde / Getty Images

After enduring their longest losing streak of the season with four straight losses, the Mavericks have flipped the script, notching their first three-game winning streak by dismantling what’s left of the New Orleans Pelicans, 132-91.

All three wins came against severely undermanned teams, but given the poor start and shaky vibes, the Mavericks will gladly take them. There aren’t many big-picture takeaways from the dismantling of the Pelicans (though that didn’t stop me from finding plenty of fun smaller signals and trends), other than that the Mavericks are healthy and in a much better state heading into the tougher part of their schedule.

Dallas also secured their first NBA Emirates Cup win with a massive point differential, making Friday’s Cup matchup in Denver even more intriguing.

Here's the updated NBA Emirates Cup standings for anyone interested:

Source: https://www.nba.com/nba-cup/2024/standings

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Today’s notes:

1. Luka back, setting the tone from the first tip (🎞️VIDEO)

2. Pelicans lack of size = Mavs feasting at the rim and on the boards

3. Pelicans lack of point guard = Mavs feasting in transition

4. Another game of equal opportunity offense

5. More shooting, more Klay, same old steady Kyrie

Bonus point: Jaden Hardy with another poster-worthy momenty (🎞️VIDEO)

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1-Luka back, setting the tone from the first tip (🎞️VIDEO)

Dončić faced criticism for his lackluster defensive performance after the loss in Utah. Last night was further proof that he hears and typically responds to scrutiny with a strong performance.

Dončić set the tone from the start, grabbing two steals in the opening minute of the game, both pickpockets leading to layups on the other end. He added another steal early in the second quarter, disrupting the Pelicans' ATO (after-timeout) play.

Dončić also recorded a game-high six deflections in this matchup and is now tied for the 9th spot in the NBA with 3.4 deflections per game—the same as 7-foot-4, 8-foot wingspan Victor Wembanyama.

Good things happen when Dončić is this locked in on the defensive end, even against weaker opponents, as it sets the tone for the team—leading to another dominant defensive performance against a struggling offensive squad.

2-Pelicans lack of size = Mavs feasting at the rim and on the boards

One didn’t need to be Nostradamus to predict how this game would play out. As I noted in my preview:

Like the Thunder, the Pelicans lack bulk and size in the interior. The logical approach for the Mavericks would be to replicate the game plan that worked so well in OKC: relentlessly attack the rim and dominate on the offensive glass.

The Mavericks aren’t a rim-pressure team (yet?) this season—they rank 25th in rim frequency and have struggled against physical bigs like Nurkić, Sengun, and Jokić. But Lively, Gafford, and the rest have proven they can overpower smaller teams inside. They did it in OKC, against the Wemby-less Spurs, and against the undersized Bulls. And they did it again last night, with a 41% rim frequency and 66 points in the paint.

Mavericks’ best Rim Frequency games (source: Cleaning the Glass)

Add a huge margin on the boards—where the Mavs posted a 34 percent offensive rebound rate compared to the Pelicans' 16 percent—and it’s clear why New Orleans never stood a chance.

3-Pelicans lack of point guard = Mavs feasting in transition

Another key point from the preview was the Pelicans' lack of healthy point guards. The Mavericks fully exploited this weakness, racking up 12 steals and a season-high 35 fast break points. To put that into perspective, their previous high was 23, set during the season opener.

Naji Marshall, fueled by a little extra motivation in his first game against his former team, once again showcased his lightning-fast hands with 4 deflections and 3 steals. It wasn’t just Dončić and Marshall doing the damage—the entire team brought physicality and force across the board. They executed a straightforward defensive plan: trap the Pelicans’ only proven ball-handler, Brandon Ingram, and force others to make decisions and mistakes—and it worked effectively.

4-Another game of equal opportunity offense