Lakers vs. Mavs: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More
The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks renew their rivalry Wednesday night as Kobe Bryant and the Lakers head into Dallas to take on Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks.
Fresh off a blown fourth-quarter lead to Houston last night and another road loss, Mike Brown's Lakers look to put some consistency together and get back on the winning track, as they've lost two straight after putting together a prior five-game winning streak.
The Mavericks, on the other hand, will look to extend their win streak to five and pull within a half game of the Lakers and the Western Conference's third-best record.
Much of the credit for the win streak goes to Nowitzki, who's possibly playing his best basketball of the season, averaging 28.5 PPG during the Mavs' mini four-game tear, including a 33-point, 11-rebound effort in Monday's win over Denver.
Stopping Nowitzki will be big for the Lakers, who have won the prior two meetings between the teams, holding him in check, allowing Nowitzki only 23.0 PPG in the two meetings.
For the Lakers, seeing Bryant get out of his shooting funk is necessary for a win, as Kobe has made only 13 of 47 shots the past two games.
As playoff positioning becomes big this time of year, let's take a look at everything you need to know about tonight's big Western Conference tilt.
Where: American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas
When: Wednesday, March 21, at 9:30 p.m. EDT
Watch: ESPN
Live Stream: NBA League Pass, ESPN 3
Betting Line: Dallas (-4.5)
Lakers Key Injuries
Day-to-day: Darius Morris (bruised left wrist), Metta World Peace (left hip bursitis)
Mavericks Key Injuries
Out: Delonte West (fractured right ring finger), Brendan Haywood (sprained right knee)
Questionable: Shawn Marion (sore left knee)
What They're Saying
Despite the Lakers' struggles on the road (9-15) and the Mavs' solid 18-7 home record, the Mavericks' win streak could be in jeopardy, as Dallas is in the toughest part of its schedule, having to play 10 straight games against teams that currently occupy a playoff spot.
The Mavs have already beaten San Antonio and Denver, and Nowitzki tells ESPN's Jeff Kaplan that he likes where the team is at:
"When you're in a slump, you feel like you'll never win again and everything is going against you. ... When you're playing well, you have to milk it. Right now, even with [Delonte West] and [Brendan Haywood] and [Shawn Marion] out, we still have good rotation and the guys are really playing well.
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Most Important Player to Watch: Ramon Sessions
The newcomer in Lakerland has averaged 10.3 PPG and 5.0 APG since being acquired by Los Angeles at the trade deadline.
Sessions played 29 minutes last night against the Rockets and had 14 points to go along with four dimes, only turning the ball over once.
He's been coming off the bench while Steve Blake starts, but it will be interesting to see how he's meshing with his new teammates, as the Lakers could really use him down the stretch.
Key Matchup: Andrew Bynum vs. Ian Mahinmi
Bynum has been on a tear in the month of March, despite hitting the showers early last night after a pair of technicals.
He's averaged 23.3 PPG and 12.5 RPG this month, and against a thin Mavericks frontcourt, the Lakers should make a point of going to their All-Star center early and often.
Mahinmi and the Mavericks' bigs on the bench will have their hands full for sure, but slowing down Bynum and crashing the glass effectively could play a big role in a Mavericks win.
Prediction
Mavericks 98, Lakers 92
