The 2021-22 NBA season goes on Tuesday, March 29, with five games around the league, so we are taking a closer look at the Western Conference duel from American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, to get you the best Lakers vs. Mavericks betting pick along with the latest odds update on Bet Us Sportsbook.  

After splitting their first two encounters of the season, the Lakers and Mavs wrap up their three-game set. Los Angeles beat Dallas 107-104 as a 3.5-point road fave on December 15, while the Mavericks responded with a 109-104 victory as 4.5-point road favorites on the first day of March.

The Lakers lost two in a row

The Los Angeles Lakers (31-43; 31-43 ATS) are coming off a 116-108 defeat at the New Orleans Pelicans this past Sunday. It was their second straight loss and sixth over the Lakers’ last eight showings at any location, as LeBron James and his teammates managed to blow a 23-point lead at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

LeBron dropped 39 points on the Pels to go with nine rebounds, five assists, and a block, while Russell Westbrook had 18 points, seven boards, and six assists. Malik Monk added 23 points off the bench, but the rest of the team has been awful.

The Lakers are without Anthony Davis (ankle) and Kendrick Nunn (knee). Their play-in tournament spot is in jeopardy, as the Lakers are only one game ahead of the No. 11 San Antonio Spurs. Los Angeles has scored 115.5 points per 100 possessions in its last ten games (13th in the NBA) while yielding 121.4 in a return (28th).

The Mavs won three of their last four contests              

The Dallas Mavericks improved to 46-29 straight up and 42-32-1 ATS on the season following a 114-100 victory to the Utah Jazz. Luka Doncic was the Mavs’ top scorer once more, accounting for 32 points on 11-for-21 shooting from the field, while Jalen Brunson posted a line of 22 points, ten rebounds, and five assists.

The Mavericks extended their winning streak at American Airlines Center to three games. They’ve been terrific at home over the last 20 games, going 16-4 SU and 13-6-1 ATS in the process.

Over their previous ten games overall, the Mavs have gone 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS. Now, they are laying at the fourth spot of the Eastern Conference standings. The Mavericks are a couple of games off third-seeded Golden State and only one game ahead of fifth-seeded Utah.

Trends:

LA Lakers:

  • 5-11 ATS in the last 16 games overall
  • 0-5 ATS in the last five games against the Western Conference
  • 0-6 ATS in the last six games against the Southwest Division      

Dallas:

  • 12-6 ATS in the last 18 games overall
  • 9-3 ATS in the last 12 games at home
  • 4-1 ATS in the last five games against the Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Pick

The Lakers’ defense has been a big problem over the last few weeks. I’ve mentioned their awful defensive rating in the last ten contests. Hereof, I have to back the Mavericks to cover. Dallas looks like a much better defensive team than Los Angeles, and the Mavericks have been outstanding on the home court so far this season.

Both teams have a lot to play for, so the hosts won’t have an easy task despite the Lakers’ terrible run of form. Still, I’m expecting the Mavericks’ depth to make the difference, while Luka Doncic will be a key factor in the crunch time.

Pick: Take Dallas Mavericks   

The Total:

The Mavericks’ last five home contests have gone under the total. Also, the under is 9-2 in their previous 11 games overall. On the other side, four of the Lakers’ last five contests and ten of their last 14 games on the road have gone over the total.

The betting trends are not helping a lot, though the total has gone under in the last three encounters between the Lakers and Mavericks. Los Angeles prefers to play at a fast pace, and Dallas should look to slow things down. Over their last ten outings, the Mavs have played at the slowest pace in the NBA, averaging 94.1 possessions per 48 minutes.

Pick: Go under