The Los Angeles Lakers host a showdown against the Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center. Action begins at 9:30 pm ET on Sunday, Apr. 12 and can be seen on NBA TV, FSN-SW and TWCSN.
The Lakers played well in their last game, topping the Timberwolves 106-98 on Friday. Ryan Kelly was the team’s leading scorer with 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting. The Mavericks, meanwhile, are coming off a 144-143 win against the Nuggets on Friday. Devin Harris played well for Dallas, accounting for 21 points, nine assists, and three steals.
Dirk Nowitzki has been hot for the Mavericks, averaging 20.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 1.0 three-pointer over the past five games.
Based on historical performance heading into this one, ball security could play a key role in the matchup. Los Angeles commits the fifth-fewest miscues in the NBA (turnover percentage of 12.9%), while Dallas’s pesky defense causes the third-most (opponents’ turnover percentage of 15.8%). Moreover, the fifth-ranked offense of the Mavericks (offensive efficiency of 106.7) will try to exploit the 29th-ranked defense of the Lakers (defensive efficiency of 107.4).
The Mavericks have emerged victorious in all three games against the Lakers this year, including a 100-93 win the last time these two teams met. In the victory, Monta Ellis led all scorers with 31 points.
The odds for Los Angeles and Dallas are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Lakers come into this game 21-58 Straight Up (SU) and 38-38-3 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 9-40 SU and 21-26-2 ATS against the Western Conference.
In the other locker room, the Mavericks have 48-31 SU and 33-43-3 ATS records. Dallas has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 3-7 record. Offensively, they average 105.1 points per game, which is good for third in the league. The Mavericks average 102.2 points allowed per game, but have damaged those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 111.1 points per game during that span. Taking care of the basketball is something the Mavericks do very well, averaging just 12.5 turnovers per game. The Mavericks are the second-best team in the league at scoring points off turnovers with 19.4 per game.
The Mavericks’ win over Los Angeles in their last clash bumped their SU record over the last 10 meetings to 7-3. The teams are even ATS, with a 5-5 record. In these last 10 matchups, each team was able to hold the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers two times.
Predictions: SU Winner – DAL, ATS Winner – DAL
Notes
Dallas is one of the top scoring teams, averaging 105.1 points per game (ranked third). Los Angeles, on the other hand, allows 104.9 points per game (ranked 28th).
Dallas averages 103.7 points per road game, placing the team fifth-best in the NBA. Los Angeles, on the other hand, gives up 102.9 points per home game (ranked 28th).
When giving up fewer than 100 points, the Los Angeles Lakers have a 13-14 record. When they don’t reach the century mark, the Dallas Mavericks have a losing record of 8-18.
When allowing 100 or more points in a game, the Lakers are just 8-44 this season. Dallas is an exceptional 40-13 when it hits the century mark.
The Lakers have an offensive rating of 100.8 (ranked 23rd). The Mavericks rank 19th for their defensive rating of 103.8.
With 97.7 possessions and 1.008 points per possession, the Los Angeles Lakers perform worse on both metrics than the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas averages 98.5 possessions and 1.067 points per possession.
The Dallas Mavericks have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking sixth in the league with an EFF% of 51.4%. When their opponents record a similar or higher EFF%, the Los Angeles Lakers have a subpar 3-38 record.
On average, the Dallas Mavericks make 22.5 assists per game and the Los Angeles Lakers make 20.9. Dallas is ranked eighth, while Los Angeles is ranked 21st.
The Los Angeles Lakers average 4.4 blocks per game for a rank of 22nd. The Dallas Mavericks rank higher (20th), earning 4.5 blocks each contest.
The Los Angeles Lakers rank ninth in offensive rebounding, while the Dallas Mavericks rank 24th in defensive rebounding.
The Dallas Mavericks average 8.1 steals per game (ranked ninth). The Los Angeles Lakers have a subpar 10-26 record when they allow at least 8 steals.
