Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction: The Unthinkable is Finally Here
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction: The Unthinkable is Finally Here
- When: 7:30 pm ET
- Where to Watch: TNT
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Mavericks vs. Lakers Line Movement
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction
We've finally arrived.
It took nearly the entire season, but with less than two weeks to go, the Lakers are officially on the precipice of being on the outside of the postseason picture looking in.
Those are the stakes as they face the Dallas Mavericks tonight, likely without their top two players, as both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are listed as doubtful. If the Lakers lose, they will fall into a tie with the San Antonio Spurs for 10th place in the conference. Based on tiebreakers, the Spurs have a significant edge over LA for that last spot thanks to a 21-24 conference record compared to 16-28 for the Lakers. There are still enough games left for Frank Vogel's crew to make up that difference, but time is running out.
At this point, they just need wins, but it's hard to see where those will come from. Barring anything unforeseen, LA will only be favored in one of their remaining games - the next to last contest of the season against Oklahoma City. That they'll have to complete this uphill climb without their big two makes it all the more unlikely. Without LeBron James or Anthony Davis on the court this season, LA is getting outscored by 6.6 points per 100 possessions, which would rank between the 25th place Kings and the 26th place Thunder.
For Dallas, the pressure is on as well. They are 11-5 since the break but with a negative scoring margin. On the bright side, they've been much better at home in that time, with six wins against just one loss and five covers against the spread vs just two drops. They are healthy and motivated to maintain home court.
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The spread is larger than you'd like but against the NBA's fourth-worst team against the spread this season, that won't be an issue. Give the points at home.
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Lakers Pick
- Pick: Mavericks -11.5 (-110) (Bet $110 to Win $100)
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Brooklyn Nets vs Detroit Pistons Prediction
- When: 7:30 pm ET
- Where to Watch: League Pass
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Brooklyn Nets vs. Detroit Pistons Line Movement
Brooklyn Nets vs Detroit Pistons Prediction
Speaking of teams with bad records against the spread, Brooklyn enters this game with the second-worst cover rate in the league, better than only the Portland Trail Blazers. It gets even worse at home, where they are an almost unbelievable 8-27-1 ATS in their own building.
And yet, they are massive favorites here against a Pistons team that continues to play respectable ball. They are 14-2-1 against the spread since the All-Star break, easily the best such record in basketball, and refuse to back it in even when they're down big. On Sunday afternoon against the Knicks, they went down by 21 and came all the way back to pull within one in the fourth quarter.
Brooklyn is obviously the more talented team, especially with Kyrie back in the flow for every game, but the switch we keep waiting for them to flip ahead of the playoffs simply may not be there. It's time to stop giving them the benefit of the doubt. Take the points on the road.
Brooklyn Nets vs Detroit Pistons Pick
- Pick: Pistons +14.5 (-118) (Bet $118 to Win $100)