Mavericks vs Lakers Odds & Picks

• The Dallas Mavericks travel to face the Los Angeles Lakers at 10pm ET on Tuesday, March 1st in Los Angeles
• The Mavericks enter the game at 36-25 overall, while the Lakers come in at 27-33 on the year
• See below for the latest odds, analysis and the best bet

A Western Conference battle will wrap up action in the NBA on Tuesday, March 1st when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Los Angeles Lakers at 10pm ET on TNT in Los Angeles.

The Mavericks enter the game at 36-25 on the year and are 7-3 in their last 10 games, currently tied for fifth in the West. Dallas most recently took down the Golden State Warriors 107-101 on the road on Sunday.

The Lakers come in at 27-33 overall and are just 3-7 over their last 10 contests to hold a firm grasp on the ninth seed in the West. Los Angeles is coming off another ugly loss on Sunday, getting blown out by the New Orleans Pelicans 123-95 in Los Angeles.

Mavericks vs Lakers Odds

Odds as of Feb. 28th from FanDuel

Going into the game, the Mavericks are four-point favorites over the Lakers. The public are also heavily backing Dallas, as they’ve covered in four straight games.

Doncic, Second-Half Heroics Sparking Mavericks

Over the last 10 games in which Dallas has won seven, it has been headlined by the MVP caliber performance of Luka Doncic and numerous second-half comebacks to come out on top more often than not. Not only has Doncic averaged 34.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.1 steals over that span, but the Mavericks have also been one of the top second-half teams in the NBA with a plus/minus of plus-5.3 (third-best in NBA) during that stretch.

A recent example of the late-game heroics came on Sunday against the Warriors, when Doncic and the Mavericks erased a 21-point deficit to fight back and take the game by six on the road. With that victory, Dallas also improved to 14-9 on the road against Western Conference opponents.

The recent addition of guard Spencer Dinwiddie has fed into the recent success of Dallas, pairing nicely alongside Doncic. Since joining Dallas in the middle of February, Dinwiddie has averaged 14 points and 3.3 assists in four games, highlighted by a 24-point and five-assist showing on Sunday against Golden State. He has and will continue to provide the Mavericks with a much-needed spark off the bench.

Spencer Dinwiddie best game as a Maverick:

— 24 PTS
— 5 AST
— 10-14 FG

He was a team high +17 tonight. pic.twitter.com/HK60oCAJ53

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 28, 2022

Rock Bottom for Lakers?

Los Angeles’ free fall has continued recently, with the current losing stretch marking a new rock bottom for a team that was once viewed as favorites to come out of the West. The Lakers struggles include losing seven of their last 10 games and 14 of their last 20, with the latest form of disappointment being a 28-point blowout loss at home on Sunday.

What is perhaps most concerning with the recent stretch in Los Angeles is just how it has played as of late, completely falling off from the championship contender many thought it would be. The Lakers have been rough on both ends of the floor over the last 20 games, ranking 23rd in offensive rating (108.8), 22nd in defensive rating (113.6) and 24th in net rating (-4.8). That doesn’t even touch on the disconnect that continues to be present among players on the team.

To add insult to injury, the Lakers will be without Anthony Davis (foot sprain) for a third straight game, Russell Westbrook still hasn’t played up to expectations and LeBron James can only do so much to carry the team. In an attempt to shake things up, Los Angeles did waive DeAndre Jordan on Monday to make room to sign D.J. Augustin to add to the guard depth.

Los Angeles is not only hitting rock bottom in the home stretch of the season and could find itself exiting the postseason early at this rate, but the Lakers are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether now just 2.5 games away from dropping out of the playoff picture.

Mavericks vs Lakers Best Bet

The Lakers need a win now more than ever to right the ship of what is quickly becoming a lost season. On the flip side, the Mavericks are playing with a sense of urgency while trying to hold onto the fifth seed and make a push at a top-four spot in the West. Dallas will continue its solid play and will extend its impressive road record against West opponents, adding more concern to Los Angeles’ season.

For the best bet of the night, go with the Mavericks covering the four-point spread. Dallas, 34-26-1 overall against the spread this year, will pull out the road win by more than four points.

• The Pick: Dallas -4 (-110)