Lakers vs. Mavericks Prediction and Odds (Fade L.A. With LeBron James Doubtful)

The Los Angeles Lakers will likely be without LeBron James and Anthony Davis on Tuesday when they take on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. 

The Lakers really can’t afford to mail in any games down the stretch of this season, as they are just a half game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 10 spot in the West. 

Los Angeles has one of the toughest remaining schedules in the NBA this season, but can Russell Westbrook and company pull off an improbable upset?

Let’s get into the odds via WynnBET: 

Lakers vs. Mavericks Odds, Spread and Total

Spread:

• Lakers +12 (-110)
• Mavericks -12 (-110)

Moneyline:

• Lakers: +525
• Mavericks: -750

Total:

• 218.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Lakers vs. Mavericks Prediction and Pick

The Lakers’ injury luck this season has been straight out of a horror movie, and there’s just no way you can trust them to win this game without James or Davis in the lineup. 

That being said, I think it gives us some betting value on two fronts in this matchup. 

First, I like Dallas as a 12-point favorite in this game, as the Mavericks are one of the better teams in the NBA as a home favorite (15-11-1 against the spread), and they are 5-2 ATS when favored by double-digits this season. 

Los Angeles has been a bottom-10 team in both offensive and defensive rating this season and that’s with James putting up MVP-caliber numbers on a nightly basis. With no LeBron, you have to fade the Lakers. 

There is also value on the total in this game, as the Lakers will be down their two best offensive players against a team that ranks seventh in defensive rating and dead last in pace this season.

Los Angeles is going to need to find offense from unlikely sources, but I think the Mavs make this a bit more of a grind-it-out game for L.A. and slowly try to force it into submission. 

Lean: Mavericks -12 (-110) | UNDER 218.5 (-110)

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record in the NBA this season here.