DALLAS MAVERICKS VS. LOS ANGELES LAKERS – ODDS & PREDICTIONS FOR JANUARY 17, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from Wednesday’s slate features the Dallas Mavericks (24-17 SU, 23-18 ATS) taking on the Los Angeles Lakers (21-21 SU, 18-24 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

• When: Wednesday, January 17, 2024
  
• Time: 8:30 PM ET
  
• Where: Crypto.com Arena
  
• Location: Los Angeles, CA
  
• TV: ABC, SportsNet LA, and BSSW

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds (Via DraftKings)

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Mavericks Have Played Well While Luka Doncic Is Nursing An Ankle Injury?

Dallas Mavericks Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 118.7 PPG – 7TH       
• Offensive Efficiency: 118.3 points per 100 possessions – 10TH       
• Scoring Defense: 117.1 PPG – 20TH       
• Defensive Efficiency: 116.7 points per 100 possessions – 18TH  

The Mavericks have the fifth-best record in the Western Conference and are 6-4 across their last 10 outings. This includes a 125-120 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night. 

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks’ scoring attack with 42 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. – who started in place of Luka Doncic (ankle sprain) — added 41 points on 11-for-23 shooting from the floor, including a 9-for-15 effort from beyond the arc. 

“Timmy was huge for us, he kept us in there, he made some big shots, but Ky was steady the whole afternoon,” coach Jason Kidd said, via CBS Sports. “(Irving) just took what the defense gave him. He’s been leading us and guys are following and he puts us in a position to win.”

Dallas has won two of their last three games without Doncic in the lineup, and the team is hoping to continue its success against a Lakers team that is starting to turn things around. 

Can The Lakers Notch Their Second Win Of A Six-Game Homestand?

Los Angeles Lakers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 114.1 PPG – 19TH   
• Offensive Efficiency: 112.7 points per 100 possessions – 23RD       
• Scoring Defense: 115.5 PPG – 16TH    
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.2 points per 100 possessions – 11TH    

On the other side of this matchup, the Lakers have produced just four wins in their last 10 decisions. In their most recent outing, they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 112-105. 

Anthony Davis paced Los Angeles with 27 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. LeBron James added 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. The Lakers shot 52.4 percent from the field while recording 30 assists on 44 made shots. 

“When we have high-assist games where guys are feeling in a rhythm, it’s a pretty good game for us,” James said after the game. “We’ve got to try to look at this and be more consistent with that.”

With the team’s starting five now set, the Lakers are hoping to get their second win of a six-game homestand against a Mavericks squad that is playing well without its leading scorer. 

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let us closely examine the all-important betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Lakers opened as a 3.5-point favorite. At the time of this writing, the line has moved to three points for the home team.

Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Mavericks are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games.
• Dallas is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 matchups against the Lakers.
• The Mavericks are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games against Western Conference opponents.
• The Mavericks are 4-2 ATS in their last six matchups against Pacific Division teams.
• The Lakers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games.
• Los Angeles is 0-5 ATS in its last five games against Southwest Division teams.
• The Lakers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven January trends.

Based on these trends, going with the road team to cover the spread is the best option.

Prediction: Dallas Mavericks (+3)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 241 points. At this time of this writing, the line has moved 242 points (via pre-game.com). Here is why going with the “UNDER” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Mavericks’ last six road contests.

• The UNDER total has hit nine times in Dallas’s last 10 matchups against the Lakers.

• In Philadelphia’s last five games at home the UNDER total has won four times.

• The UNDER total has prevailed four times in the Lakers’ last five games against Dallas.

• In Los Angeles’s last 17 home games, the UNDER total has won 13 times. 

Prediction: UNDER 242 points

Prop Bet

The key player to watch in this matchup is the Lakers’ big man Anthony Davis. He currently has -115 odds of scoring more than 27.5 points and -115 odds of finishing with less than 27.5 points (Via PointsBet). Here is a closer look at how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• In 35 career games against the Mavericks, Anthony Davis is averaging 25.5 PPG.
• On the season, Davis is averaging 25.1 points per outing. 

• In 21 home games, he is averaging 25.5 PPG.
• Davis has played against Western Conference teams 27 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 24.1 points per outing.
• In seven Wednesday night games this season, he is averaging 22.7 points per contest.
• During January, Davis is averaging 25.4 PPG. 
• Davis has played against teams in the Southwest Division nine times this season. In those games, he has averaged 24.9 PPG.
• Over his last 10 outings, he is averaging 25.4 points per outing, exceeding the projected points total for this matchup just three times during that stretch. 

Prediction: Anthony Davis UNDER 27.5 points

Based on the above trends, going with the “under” for Davis is the smart play here.

James’s Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers Picks

• The Spread: Mavericks (+3)
• Over/Under: Under 242 points
• Player Prop Bet: Anthony Davis Under 27.5 points