Lakers, Mavericks Battle for Position in West Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers (35-24 SU, 28-31 ATS) take on the Dallas Mavericks (32-26 SU, 27-31 ATS) for the third and final time this regular season on Saturday in the second of the two-game series. The Lakers won the first meeting back on Christmas Day and the Mavs won Thursday’s game 115-110.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The game opened with the Mavericks as favorites at -2. The total opened at 216.5 and has remained steady at that line.

Los Angeles News & Notes

Without their leader and best player LeBron James for now 17 straight games dating back to March 21, the Lakers have fallen to fifth in the Western Conference going 7-10 in that stretch.

The team was also without superstar Anthony Davis for 30 games, further handicapping the team and contributing to their drop in the standings. Luckily for the Lakers, Davis returned from injury on Thursday night’s game posting four points and four rebounds in about sixteen minutes of floor time.

Without their top two players, the Lakers have had to rely on Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to carry the load offensively and Thursday’s game was no different. Schroder had 25 points and 13 assists while Caldwell-Pope led the team with 29 points.

Unfortunately, Caldwell-Pope sustained an injury on Thursday night and is questionable for Saturday which further complicates things for the already thin Lakers roster.

Dallas News & Notes

Like he does most nights, Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic led the way offensively against the Lakers on Thursday putting up a game-high 30 points. It was his 22nd game with 30 or more points this season. Doncic ranks third in the NBA in points-per-game with 28.7 and he is one of only four players in the league to average 20+ points, 8+ rebounds and 8+ assists this season (Jokic, Harden, Westbrook).

However, as a team, the Mavs rank 19th in points-per-game, 15th in field goal percentage and 19th in three-point shooting so the team could certainly be described as top-heavy. Forward Kristaps Porzingis has been solid this season averaging 20 points and almost 10 rebounds per game, but the rest of the team has struggled offensively. Porzingis is also questionable for Saturday.

The defense has been more of a struggle as the Mavs rank 21st in defensive rating and sixteenth in rebound percentage. Still, the Mavs sit seventh in the West and are comfortably within the playoff picture.