It’s a quiet Sunday for the NBA, with only three games. Even though the selection was slim, we liked two of these games a lot. With the Hawks taking on the Pelicans, we’ll get an excellent matchup between two teams trying to scrape together some wins. In the other game, we have the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Magic, which should be a fun game between two of the hottest early-season teams!
Even though both of these teams have struggled early, they’re both talented rosters. The Pels have been dealing with early-season injuries and a lack of size. Eventually, this team could make waves in the West when they return to full strength with Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III. However, as they are now, they’ll need some help from their bench to take down Atlanta. Even with Ingram and Zion playing lights out lately, they have been dropping games. They’ve struggled heavily with ball security, giving up loads of turnovers early and leaving too many points on the table for their opponents. Pair that with a small team lacking a starting-level center, and this team needs to make a move. As we said, some of it will resolve with players returning, but the lack of size is a real issue. The Pelicans are at the top of our list for making an in-season trade this year.
Atlanta is a different animal but in a similar place. They have their star in Trae Young, but they’re young and lack experienced talent. It’s still a competitive team, but they’re not scaring anyone. In this matchup, we expect to see them exploit their size advantage down low, but they’ll also need Trae to score in buckets to keep up. This could be a solid match-up offensively, but this one will come down to how the Pelicans take care of the ball. If they leave the door open for this Hawks team, they can slam it right in their faces. We expect Atlanta to take this one, though.
This would have been an excellent game if it weren’t for injuries. Unfortunately, Paolo Banchero, the star forward on the Magic, tore his oblique, which will have him sidelined indefinitely. Still, this Orlando team should be a good test of the Mavs, as their size will likely be an issue for Dallas. We’re specifically excited to see what a combo of Jalen Suggs and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can do against this elite Dallas backcourt. As a top defensive backcourt, they could give Dallas trouble. However, it will be a tall order replacing Paolo’s production. He was putting up 29/8/5 on solid shooting. They may be able to find a little relief from Wendell Carter Jr and Jonathan Isaac, but still, we expect this team to fade a bit in the absence of their best player.
Dallas, on the other hand, has been great. The trio of Luka, Kyrie, and Klay has turned the Mavs into one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the league. With Lively and PJ Washington locking down the paint, this team has a lot to like. But that’s not too surprising, considering they made the finals with a less talented roster last year. This is shaping up to be Luka’s year, as he looks to be in prime form and is currently a leading man to be MVP. Though we’ve only played a handful of games, this team has an unmistakable swagger about them. We think Dallas will overwhelm Orlando with scoring; taking it on the road today!