Lakers vs Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavs are trying to reach that sixth position in the West and directly advance to the playoffs. Participating in a play-in tournament might be nasty, which is why Doncic and the boys want to enter the postseason without additional obligations. Meanwhile, the Lakers slipped down in the standings, and now sit fifth. However, they recently had one very good news. The purple and gold got back their starting center, and arguably the best player in the league in that position, Anthony Davis. With him on board, the champs are a completely different team.
By the way, this is the second of back-to-back games between these two sides, with the Mavs winning the opening one.
Lakers vs Mavericks Schedule
- Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
- When: Saturday, April 24, 8:30pm ET
- How to Watch: ABC
Lakers vs Mavericks Odds
| Team | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Lakers | +2 | 216.5 |
| Mavs | -2 | 216.5 |
AD is Back
Although he had just four points in 17 minutes, and an awful shooting percentage, 2-for-10, and 0-2 from the free-throw line, Anthony Davis’ comeback is a massive deal for the Lakers. Frank Vogel has numerous options on both ends of the floor with him in the lineup, especially now with Drummond beside him.
The Eyebrow will gradually improve and get back in shape, but once he does that, we all know that the Lakers will be at least a 30% better team. AD averages 21.8 points per match, with 8.2 boards, and brings an incredibly big impact on the defensive side of the floor.
We need to mention two guys who played well against the Mavs on Thursday, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope dropped 29 points, hitting six threes, while Dennis Schroder had 25 with 13 assists. Drummond grabbed 19 rebounds with 14 buckets.
Doncic and Porzingis Without Support
After having just one win in five matches, Rick Carlisle’s side posted two in a row, beating the Pistons and the Lakers. They will now have one more game at home before hitting the road for three contests.
As usual, Luka was the best on the court in both victories, and Porzingis was next to him. But what frustrates the Mavs fans is the fact that there is no other player capable of dropping 30+points and step in in the moments when these two guys aren’t in a position to deliver.
For instance, in 58 games this year, only in six, the Mavs’ top scorer wasn’t either Luka or Porzingis. The last time one of them didn’t score the most points was against the Pelicans on the road on March 27, when Tim Hardaway Jr dropped 30.
Lakers vs Mavericks Head to Head
The Lakers won the opening clash of the season, 138-115, and that was their second overall game in the 2020/21 campaign. The most recent was on Thursday, and the Mavs got that one at home, 115-110. Luka had 30 buckets with 9 boards and 8 assists. Poringis 19, and Richardson 13 for the home team.
Lakers vs Mavericks Prediction and Pick
Dallas barely defeated the LAL in the first game, with AD only partially ready to play. The odds on the champs to hit back are +110, and only because of such profits will we suggest risking and betting on their victory. Davis will be much better, and that will give the Lakers an edge in some areas. On the other side, Dallas can’t do much better than in the first meeting.
