by Chuck Sommers
Sunday, Feb 26, 2023
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Where to watch: ABC
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Mavs -4
FanDuel: Mavs -4
BetMGM: Mavs -4.5
Caesars: Mavs -4
Season record
Lakers: 28-32
Mavs: 32-29
The All-Star break is over in the NBA and it's time to get on the horse and finish up the final home stretch of the season. Big trades, uncertainty, and absolute hilarity across the board all gearing up for the final home stretch of this season. You know who is also gearing up for the home stretch? Our champion handicappers at bigal.com who are ready to win their way all the way to the playoffs. There's a lot going on that we can't wait for in these final 23-25 games and you're going to need every bit of hardcore analysis you can get from this group. Just in the last 30 days we've had some big winners. Doc's Sports has posted a 16-6-0 record in the last month (+$9,200). AAA Sports has killed it at 17-8-0, and then Al McMordie with a dominant 20-11-1 mark over the last 30 days. Everything you need to know and more about what's going on this league and sports in general will be a fun finish to the end. All you have to do is go to bigal.com and find our Best Bets page and put forth something that only you think is good. Here's a hint: Go to the bigal.com website and happy betting!
Lakers - Mavs preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Lakers: won 124-111 vs. Warriors
Mavs: won 142-116 vs. Spurs
I get that beating the Los Angeles Lakers isn't the barometer for most teams. The fact that they're below .500 right now really doesn't speak to how these last 22 games will dictate the future of this franchise. But they're off to a good start. You know what the Dallas Mavericks could use? A win against the Lakers this Sunday would be superb.
Why, you ask? Because the Mavs need a win with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic that they can hang their hat on. And a way to do that is to beat LeBron James and Anthony Davis when they're supposed to be on the right path to making the playoffs. They want to be where the Mavs are; they want to be fighting for a top spot in the Western Conference and try to shock the world.
Dallas got its first win of the Kyrie-Luka era with a 142-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Not that that's a shocking revelation because the Spurs are not great, but at least you can make something happen going forward with even the lowest bit of interest.
Doncic finished with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, while Irving finished with 23 points on 8 of 13 shooting in 30 minutes, while also chipping in with six assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. came off the bench to score 22 points and hit six 3-pointers. Eight players scored in double figures, to which I say I don't care if it's the Spurs: The Mavs needed that kind of performance.
“People say that Luka and Ky need the ball,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Well, they also know how to use their teammates, and their teammates are delivering right now.”
The Mavs are sixth in the West and currently a half-game. back of the Los Angeles Clippers, a game back of the Phoenix Suns, and three games back of the Sacramento Kings. There's a lot of basketball to be played, and this team is going to be one of the many that will be kept under a watchful eye the rest of the way.
Speaking of a watchful eye, the Lakers have all the eyes on them because in the matter of a week they went from wanting Kyrie, to not getting Kyrie, to revamping about 85 percent of their roster. And now they are the most watched 13th-ranked team we've ever seen. But it helps that they're only 1.5 games out of the play-in behind the New Orleans Pelicans, and two games out from 7-10.
The Lakers are coming off a 124-111 win over the Golden State Warriors in their first game out of the break, but that game was a weird microcosm of things. Eight players scored in double figures behind 25 points from *checks notes* Malik Beasley. LeBron had just 13 points on 5 of 20 shooting, and Davis had just 12 points on 3 of 5 shooting, while grabbing 12 rebounds. Mo Bamba had a double-double off the bench with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
“LeBron and AD didn't get going as much as they wanted tonight, but we’re deep, and I think that’s the statement we want to make,” Beasley said. “It can be any player on any given night.”
Prediction
The Mavs are laying the points here and I do wonder how you handle this type of duo because when everyone else is making shots, who knows what's going to happen? Mavs 125, Lakers 115
I get that beating the Los Angeles Lakers isn't the barometer for most teams. The fact that they're below .500 right now really doesn't speak to how these last 22 games will dictate the future of this franchise. But they're off to a good start. You know what the Dallas Mavericks could use? A win against the Lakers this Sunday would be superb.
Why, you ask? Because the Mavs need a win with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic that they can hang their hat on. And a way to do that is to beat LeBron James and Anthony Davis when they're supposed to be on the right path to making the playoffs. They want to be where the Mavs are; they want to be fighting for a top spot in the Western Conference and try to shock the world.
Dallas got its first win of the Kyrie-Luka era with a 142-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Not that that's a shocking revelation because the Spurs are not great, but at least you can make something happen going forward with even the lowest bit of interest.
Doncic finished with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, while Irving finished with 23 points on 8 of 13 shooting in 30 minutes, while also chipping in with six assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. came off the bench to score 22 points and hit six 3-pointers. Eight players scored in double figures, to which I say I don't care if it's the Spurs: The Mavs needed that kind of performance.
“People say that Luka and Ky need the ball,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Well, they also know how to use their teammates, and their teammates are delivering right now.”
The Mavs are sixth in the West and currently a half-game. back of the Los Angeles Clippers, a game back of the Phoenix Suns, and three games back of the Sacramento Kings. There's a lot of basketball to be played, and this team is going to be one of the many that will be kept under a watchful eye the rest of the way.
Speaking of a watchful eye, the Lakers have all the eyes on them because in the matter of a week they went from wanting Kyrie, to not getting Kyrie, to revamping about 85 percent of their roster. And now they are the most watched 13th-ranked team we've ever seen. But it helps that they're only 1.5 games out of the play-in behind the New Orleans Pelicans, and two games out from 7-10.
The Lakers are coming off a 124-111 win over the Golden State Warriors in their first game out of the break, but that game was a weird microcosm of things. Eight players scored in double figures behind 25 points from *checks notes* Malik Beasley. LeBron had just 13 points on 5 of 20 shooting, and Davis had just 12 points on 3 of 5 shooting, while grabbing 12 rebounds. Mo Bamba had a double-double off the bench with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
“LeBron and AD didn't get going as much as they wanted tonight, but we’re deep, and I think that’s the statement we want to make,” Beasley said. “It can be any player on any given night.”
Prediction
The Mavs are laying the points here and I do wonder how you handle this type of duo because when everyone else is making shots, who knows what's going to happen? Mavs 125, Lakers 115
Betting trends
Lakers are 8-3 ATS against Southwest opponents this season.
Lakers are 10-16 ATS as a road underdog this season.
Mavs are 6-17 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 this season.
Mavs are 1-5 ATS on Sunday this season.
Mavs are 11-16 ATs at home this season.
Projected starting lineup
Lakers:
PG: D'Angelo Russell
SG: Malik Beasley
SF: LeBron James
PF: Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Anthony Davis
Mavs:
PG: Luka Doncic
SG: Kyrie Irving
SF: Josh Green
PF: Reggie Bullock
C: Dwight Powell
Injury report
Lakers:
Mavs: Maxi Kleber (hamstring, out), Davis Bertans (calf, out)
Lakers:
Mavs: Maxi Kleber (hamstring, out), Davis Bertans (calf, out)
Statistical leaders
Lakers:
Points: LeBron James -- 29.6
Rebounds: LeBron James -- 8.4
Assists: LeBron James -- 7.0
Mavs:
Points: Luka Doncic -- 33.2
Rebounds: Luka Doncic -- 8.8
Assists: Luka Doncic -- 8.2
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Los Angeles Lakers - Dallas Mavericks prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NBA projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
