Starless Western Conference Matchup
If you’re looking for star power, you might want to tune out of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
There is no Luka Doncic or LeBron James, and there might not be Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving, which is reflected in NBA lines.
The Lakers are favored by -5 solely on home-court advantage.
Mavericks Digging Deep
It hasn’t been the best stretch for the Mavericks, who lost three consecutive games before beating the Spurs 137-128 in overtime on Wednesday.
Not having Doncic on the floor is a huge negative for the Mavs, who have slipped to a disastrous 26-42-2 against the sportsbook spread.
They are one of the worst teams to bet on and bettors are frustrated. It’s an embarrassing ATS record, but it shows how much bookmakers overrate them. That’s not the case against the Lakers, as they’re getting +5 points on the road.
We were impressed with their win over the Spurs. It was led by 28 points from Christian Wood, who might have to pick up the slack again. However, the game shouldn’t have even gone to overtime after some crucial mistakes, as NBA news reported.
“We made two mistakes late in the game,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “It wasn’t where we were trying to make the mistakes. It just happens. As much as we look at them as numbers, we’re human. San Antonio took advantage of them.”
Lake Show No-Show
Sports betting markets expect plenty from the Lakers, but they have been nothing but a disappointment so far.
They are 34-36 following a loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Not having James playing isn’t helping their cause, but there is no cohesion with this roster.
It’s disappointing to see, but despite their struggles, they have a better ATS record than the Mavericks at 34-35-1. At least bettors are cashing in regularly, so Las Vegas NBA odds could be spot on.
Losing to the likes of Houston isn’t going to win over bettors. They were only -2½ favorites, so it wasn’t a hard line to cover. However, they are 6-4 ATS over the last 10 games, so we’re being harsh.
Our expectations were high for the Lakers, and if they want to make a playoff run, beating the Mavericks without Doncic is a must.
Mavericks vs Lakers Game Injuries
Mavericks vs Lakers Head-to-Head
The Mavericks have a 6-3-1 ATS advantage over the last 10 games, but the Lakers won the most recent meeting.
They won 111-108 in February as the +4½ underdog. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, but it should give the Lakers confidence.
Mavericks vs Lakers Game Information
- Game: Mavericks (35-35) vs Lakers (34-36)
- Day/Time: Friday, March 17, 10:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Crypto Arena, Los Angeles, CA
- Mavericks vs Lakers Live stream: NBA Game Pass
Mavericks vs Lakers Betting Lines
Mavericks vs Lakers Picks and Prediction
Our NBA picks expect the Lakers to score a comfortable win, given the circumstances.
They might be without their best players, but their bench has more depth compared to the Mavericks.
Because of the injuries, we’re locking in under 224½. We can’t see many points being scored.
Los Angeles is listed at -240 in our Vegas NBA lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Lakers, there’s a chance to win $42. Dallas is +200, offering a chance to win $200 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Los Angeles a 70.59% chance to win, with the Mavericks at 33.33%.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
Mavericks vs Lakers Trends
Mavericks vs Lakers Edge
Mavericks vs Lakers Results
Mavericks vs Lakers Game Summary
Mavericks vs Lakers Previous ( Feb 26, 2023)
I like what I saw from Irving and Doncic against the Spurs and feel like they are a more dangerous duo than LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers were heating up, but only once D’Angela entered the fray. With him likely out, give me the Mavs at home.
