Mavs vs. Lakers (3/1) NBA Betting Odds & Spread Prediction

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most disappointing teams in recent history. After going 3-7 in their last 10 games, the Lakers look to end their skid against the Dallas Mavs on Tuesday.

On the other hand, the Mavs are one of the hottest teams in the league. They’re 7-2 in their last nine games and continue to climb up the Western Conference Standings. Now, fans are starting to view them as a credible threat to go on a championship run.

So, what will happen when the two teams meet on Tuesday? Will the Lakers finally add another one to the win column? Or will the Mavericks hand them another demoralizing loss?

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Matchup Info and Betting Odds

Matchup Info

• Game Matchup: Dallas Mavericks (36-25, 5th in Western Conference) vs Los Angeles Lakers (27-33, 9th in Western Conference)
• Venue & Location: crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, California)
• Date: Tuesday, March 1, 2022
• Time: 10 p.m. ET
• TV: TN T

Mavs vs. Lakers Betting Odds

• Spread: Dallas Mavericks -5.5 (-110), Los Angeles Lakers +5.5 (-110)
• Total: OVER 217.5 (-110), UNDER 226.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Dallas Mavericks -225, Los Angeles Lakers +180

Odds are via BetMGM.

Lakers Dealing With Injury Roadblock

Even though there’s no excuse for how bad the Lakers are this NBA season, injuries have made things even more difficult.

Los Angeles is still set to be without Anthony Davis (ankle) for a few more weeks, while Kendrick Nunn (knee) and Avery Bradley (knee) are still sidelined for the foreseeable future as well.

LeBron James is day-to-day with his own injury, but it’s clear that the Lakers need him to be healthy enough to take on the Mavericks. After all, the team is 6-11 without him this season.

James has carried the Lakers all season despite being at the point of his career where he shouldn’t need to. He’s been playing at an MVP pace lately, averaging 28.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists over the last 10 games.

The Lakers are at the point where they need a statement performance to get back on track. The fans were booing them following their loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday and it doesn’t get much lower than that. Even if he’s dealing with injuries, James must put the team on his back once again to at least temporarily silence the doubters.

Can the Lakers Beat the Mavs?

After an up-and-down start to the season, the Mavs have been playing like one of the NBA’s best teams lately. As usual, a lot of their success has come thanks to Luka Doncic.

Over the Mavericks’ last nine games, Doncic has reminded the world why he’s one of the best basketball players on the planet. The 23-year-old phenom is averaging an impressive 34.1 PTS/10.8 REB/8.7 AST on .452/.417/.750 shooting splits over the course of that success. That isn’t even to mention how that includes three performances of at least 45 points or more.

Needless to say, the Lakers must slow Doncic down if they hope to defeat the Mavericks. That’s obviously easier said than done, but Los Angeles has kept him modest in the past. Doncic has averaged “just” 22.4 points in 10 career meetings with the Lakers, which is his second-lowest average against any team.

Another thing that the Lakers must do for a victory is properly protect the perimeter. The Mavs are averaging 15.4 three-pointers made per game on .411 efficiency over their last nine games, not shying away at all from the range game.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are surrendering the 12th-most threes made while allowing the opposition to convert on .346 (No. 15) of their shots from beyond the arc. It’s going to be up to players like Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk and a likely-returning Austin Reaves to lock down the perimeter.

At the end of the day, the Lakers (in their current state) aren’t built to beat the top teams of the Western Conference, such as the Mavs. They can’t be expecting a 37-year-old LeBron to guard Doncic all night, while the rest of the roster isn’t equipped to do so either. That’s why the Lakers must work together to slow down Doncic as a committee because things could quickly get ugly if he gets going early on.

If the Lakers don’t finally turn a corner tonight, they may never this season. That’s why someone like Westbrook needs to step up and live up to his monster contract (or at least come close to it). Otherwise, the season may as well be over despite there still being 20 or so games remaining.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Prediction and Best Bets

Mavs 118, Lakers 107 (Mavs -5.5)

The Lakers should be much better than they are, but their injury issues and the current state of the team make it hard to like them. With that being said, look for the Mavericks to continue their hot streak with a victory.

In terms of the best bet, let’s go with BetMGM going with Dallas as the 5.5-point spread favorite at -110 odds. Plus, the Mavs are 8-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last nine games, while the Lakers are 13-20 ATS at home this season.