- The Dallas Mavericks visit the LA Lakers.
- Things aren’t great for the purple and gold this year.
- Meanwhile, the Mavs look good over the past few weeks.
The LA Lakers could turn out to be the biggest bust this year, with them being outside the playoff zone for the moment. This isn’t what the purple and gold expected, as they planned to chase the title this season. Instead, they are going to fight for the playoffs.
As for the Mavs, with all the trades and injuries, we can say that Jason Kidd’s team plays solidly. The fifth position in the West is the reflection of their quality, and they should stay among top six teams until the end of the campaign.
Mavericks vs Lakers Schedule
- Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
- When: Tuesday, March 1, 10 pm ET
- How to Watch: TNT
Mavericks vs Lakers Odds
Luka and the Boys Keep Rollin’
With one loss in the past four games and two over the last nine, the Mavs broke into the top five teams in the West. Currently, they sit slightly ahead of the Denver Nuggets and will try to reach the Utah Jazz in the fourth position. That’s is mostly due to Luka Doncic and a very good defense of the entire unit.
Luka had three 45+ point games during this stretch, once even surpassing the 50-point limit. In the majority of those games, the young Slovenian was the best rebounder and assistant. It is safe to say that he alone carries the Mavs’ offense with the little help of Jalen Brunson.
On the other hand, the entire team plays very a good defense, as they keep the rivals under 100 points in five of the latest nine contests. Under Jason Kidd, this part of their game significantly improved.
Lakers’ Collapse
LeBron, AD, and Westbrook were supposed to lead the Lakers to another title. Yet that won’t happen, judging by the current situation. The purple and gold are a mediocre unit, and their performances are disastrous. Sorry for the harsh words, but that it is at the moment.
The Lakers have nine losses in the last 12 games, the most recent to the LA Clippers, who are without both Kawhi and George, and the New Orleans Pelicans. Both of these events were at home. The one vs. NOP ended 123-95 for the guests from Louisiana.
It was the ultimate proof of the Lakers’ collapse. LBJ and the boys made only seven threes in 34 attempts, had 38 boards, 13 fewer than the rival, and was behind 32 points at one moment.
Head to Head Games
There was one game between these two sides this year. The Lakers won in Dallas on December 15, 107-104, after OT. LBJ had 24 points, Westbrook 23, and AD 20. The Mavs appeared without Luka, with the top scorer being Jalen Brunson with 25 buckets, while Porzingis had 23.
Mavericks vs Lakers Prediction and Pick
With the current situation in the Lakers, we are backing up the Mavs to win this one and further push the LAL into crisis. The Mavs look much better and have better chemistry, which is almost non-existing among the Lakers.
Pick: Mavericks win
