3rd Quarter Report
Down ten at the end of the second quarter, the Lakers now have the lead. It’s still anybody’s game after three quarters, but they are currently ahead of the Mavericks 95-93. The finale is shaping up to be a lot like these teams’ last head-to-head, which was decided by just three points.
The Lakers entered the matchup having won four straight and they’re just one quarter away from another. Will they make it five, or will the Mavericks step up and spoil it? We’ll know soon.
Who’s Playing
Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks
Current Records: Los Angeles 14-9, Dallas 14-8
How To Watch
What to Know
The Mavericks will be in front of their home fans on Tuesday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-court advantage. Having just played yesterday, they will get right back to it and host the Los Angeles Lakers at 7:30 p.m. ET on December 12th at American Airlines Center. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a three-game winning streak alive.
On Monday, Dallas earned a 120-113 win over Memphis.
Luka Doncic was his usual excellent self, scoring 35 points along with eight rebounds and six assists. The matchup was his seventh in a row with at least 30 points.
Meanwhile, winning is just a little bit easier when you make ten more threes than your opponent, a fact the Lakers proved on Thursday. They really took it to New Orleans for the full four quarters, racking up a 133-89 win at home. The oddsmakers were on the Lakers’ side, but they didn’t give the squad enough credit as the margin was unexpectedly wide.
It was another big night for LeBron James, who scored 30 points along with eight assists and five rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Anthony Davis, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 15 rebounds.
Dallas’ win bumped their record up to 14-8. As for Los Angeles, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-9.
Keep an eye on the arc in Tuesday’s match: The Mavericks have made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having averaged 16 threes per game. It’s a different story for the Lakers, though, as they’ve been averaging only 10.2 threes per game. Given the Mavericks’ sizeable advantage in that area, the Lakers will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Mavericks came out on top in a nail-biter against the Lakers in their previous matchup back in November, sneaking past 104-101. Do the Mavericks have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Lakers turn the tables on them? We’ll have the answer soon enough.
Odds
Los Angeles is a slight 2-point favorite against Dallas, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Lakers as a 1-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 234 points.
See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.
Series History
Dallas has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Los Angeles.
- Nov 22, 2023 – Dallas 104 vs. Los Angeles 101
- Mar 17, 2023 – Dallas 111 vs. Los Angeles 110
- Feb 26, 2023 – Los Angeles 111 vs. Dallas 108
- Jan 12, 2023 – Dallas 119 vs. Los Angeles 115
- Dec 25, 2022 – Dallas 124 vs. Los Angeles 115
- Mar 29, 2022 – Dallas 128 vs. Los Angeles 110
- Mar 01, 2022 – Dallas 109 vs. Los Angeles 104
- Dec 15, 2021 – Los Angeles 107 vs. Dallas 104
- Apr 24, 2021 – Dallas 108 vs. Los Angeles 93
- Apr 22, 2021 – Dallas 115 vs. Los Angeles 110
Injury Report for the Mavericks
- Kyrie Irving: out (Heel)
- Derrick Jones Jr.: out (Quadriceps)
- Maxi Kleber: out (Toe)
- Josh Green: out (Elbow)
Injury Report for the Lakers
- LeBron James: questionable (Calf)
- Anthony Davis: questionable (Hip)
- Gabe Vincent: out (Knee)
- Jarred Vanderbilt: questionable (Back)
- Jalen Hood-Schifino: out (Back)
