Lakers vs. Mavericks Predictions, Picks & Odds: NBA on ESPN, Today 4/9
With the NBA playoffs looming, several matchups on a nightly basis are absolutely pivotal, especially in the Western Conference. Add to that the return of superstar Luka Doncic to Dallas and you have the perfect way to enjoy your Wednesday night. Therefore, we’ve got you covered with our best Lakers vs. Mavericks predictions.
We’ll also have you covered with both a best bet from our Lakers vs. Mavericks picks AND a guaranteed Sleeper Fantasy promo code bonus!
Lakers vs. Mavericks Predictions for NBA on ESPN, 4/9
As if the playoff push and Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas wasn’t exciting enough, this Lakers vs. Mavericks matchup is also the first of tonight’s NBA on ESPN doubleheader. There’s no doubt that all the focus will be on the return of Luka Doncic, and rightfully so, but is that where the value lies for bettors?
We’ll get more specific when breaking down our best bet, but it’s not just fans that are aware of the magnitude of this game - oddsmakers are well aware of it also. With that in mind, don’t be surprised to see some inflated markets for Luka Doncic tonight.
In terms of how these teams have matched up so far this season, they’ve split the meetings, but the Lakers are 0-2 against the spread, and the games are 2-0 for the under. While those are trends to consider targeting for tonight, the best bet from our Lakers vs. Mavericks predictions is going to focus on a player prop market instead.
Los Angeles Lakers: Rollercoaster Of A Season
In the Western Conference, there are so many storylines to discuss for a multitude of teams, but in LA, the best way to describe the Lakers season is a rollercoaster. With an aging LeBron James entering the year, could they really put together a run? Then, the blockbuster Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade shook the entire sports world.
That led to the Lakers getting to the #2 spot in the Western Conference. Then, a LeBron James injury led to fans instantly saying their season was dead in the water. Now, after a massive win over the #1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder back on Sunday, the script has shifted once again to the Lakers being their biggest contender.
Dallas Mavericks: Western Conference Standings Chaos
In the midst of the chaos that is the Western Conference standings are the Dallas Mavericks. Despite just a handful of days left in the regular season, so much shifting can happen. So much so that we could even see the Denver Nuggets, once a “clear” #2 seed fall all the way to a Play-In Tournament spot.
Speaking of those spots, that is almost certainly where we’ll see the Mavs. However, shifting even within those spots can happen, not to mention the fact that Dallas would certainly prefer to host one of those games for their best chance at making the “true” playoffs. While they’ve covered the spread against the Lakers this year, they only care about the win column tonight.
Lakers vs. Mavericks Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Dallas has had success covering the spread against LA this year as they’ve been underdogs of an average of 7.5 points, and the Lakers vs. Mavericks odds tonight give them a bit more of a chance than those matchups:
- Point Spread: Los Angeles Lakers -4 (-110) vs. Dallas Mavericks +4 (-110)
- Money Line: Los Angeles Lakers (-175) vs. Dallas Mavericks (+145)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 227.5 (-110) vs. Under 227.5 (-110)
Lakers vs. Mavericks Best Bet: Austin Reaves Over 2.5 Made Threes (1.57x At Sleeper Fantasy)
After going through everything above, it still all leads to us taking a player prop for the best bet from our Lakers vs. Mavericks predictions. Again, all the attention is on Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas, but that’s also why we want to avoid those inflated markets.
Instead, we’re going to sit back and enjoy his return while looking outside of the household superstar names altogether. Well, at this point, Austin Reaves is becoming one for even some casual NBA fans, but regardless, we see value in a variety of ways for the Lakers point guard.
We’d also suggest taking over 19.5 points as part of your Lakers vs. Mavericks picks, but we’ll lock in the three-pointers made as our best bet. This is a sleeper market for Austin Reaves, as it’s not exactly what he’s known for. No problem - we’ll gladly take a 2.5 line for what we think should be set at 3.5 made threes.
It hasn’t ticked up in part thanks to the Mavericks not allowing a ton of threes in their past two games, but given they were blowout losses to the Los Angeles Clippers, they simply didn’t need to shoot from deep very often. On the flip side, Austin Reaves has been great from beyond the arc recently.
In the Lakers four games this month, Reaves has averaged slightly under six made threes per game while also averaging 10 attempts per game. That’s right on par for how he’s performed against Dallas this season as well. In those two games, Reaves has gone 5-for-14 and 5-for-12 from deep.
We’re not saying that his three-point percentage is record-breaking, but making at least three tonight is all we need. Therefore, the best bet from our Lakers vs. Mavericks predictions is on Austin Reaves over 2.5 made threes (1.57x at Sleeper Fantasy).
Lakers vs. Mavericks Injury Report & Starting Lineup
With Anthony Davis healthy, which he wasn’t when these teams last met, this will also be a revenge game for him. However, Dallas was recently without Daniel Gafford and Jaden Hardy, and of course, Kyrie Irving’s torn ACL has him out for the remainder of the year.
As for Lakers vs. Mavericks injury news in LA, over a handful of players are listed as day-to-day, but just about all are expected to be ready to rock if needed. Beyond Luka Doncic’s return and the always polarizing LeBron James, you can see tonight’s projected starting lineups here:
LA Lakers:
DAL Mavericks:
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Player News
Anthony Davis (adductor) and Brandon Williams (oblique) are probable for Friday’s game against the Grizzlies.
Davis was listed as probable Wednesday against the Kings, but ultimately played 35 minutes and had 27 points in the win. The 32-year-old is once again listed as probable with the adductor injury that sidelined him earlier this season. Davis figures to be available as the Mavericks battle the Grizzlies for the eighth seed in the Western Conference on Friday.
Ja Morant (ankle) is questionable for Friday’s game against the Mavericks.
Morant told reporters after Tuesday’s loss to the Warriors that he expects to play Friday. Nevertheless, the 25-year-old point guard missed practice Thursday and is officially listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain. While it’s hard to envision Morant sitting out a game of importance like Friday’s, his ankle is clearly bothering him. If Morant is out, Santi Aldama and Luke Kennard will be in line for extra minutes with Kennard potentially moving into the starting lineup.
Trae Young (Achilles) is probable for Friday’s game against the Heat.
Even in the postseason, the Hawks continue to list Young as probable with an Achilles injury. The listing is performative, stemming from Young being held out of an NBA Cup game earlier this season despite not appearing on the injury report, which resulted in a $100K fine for the Hawks. With the Hawks’ season on the line Friday, expect Young to be cleared to play once again.
Pelle Larsson (ankle) and Nikola Jovic (hand) are questionable for Friday’s game against the Hawks.
No big surprises on the Heat injury report heading into Friday’s game. While Larsson and Jovic are questionable, Duncan Robinson (back), Alec Burks (back) and Haywood Highsmith (Achilles) are all available. Larsson was questionable, but ultimately available against the Bulls Wednesday, though he didn’t play due to coach’s decision. Jovic was out Wednesday as he hasn’t played since February with a broken right hand.
Ja Morant (ankle) missed practice on Thursday and will be a game-time decision against the Mavericks on Friday.
Morant finished out Tuesday’s game against the Warriors after injuring his ankle during overtime and said after the game that he will play on Friday. It’s difficult to imagine him not suiting up for a win-or-go-home game, but the ankle is clearly bothering him quite a bit, which could impact his performance on the court. If something changes, Santi Aldama and Luke Kennard will take on extra minutes, with Kennard potentially replacing Morant in the starting unit.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Damian Lillard has been cleared of his deep vein thrombosis and is no longer on blood-thinning medication.
Charania also reported that this is an incredibly quick recovery for Lillard that was made possible by early treatment. It is an excellent development for both Dame and the Bucks. He has been ruled out for Game 1 against the Pacers on Saturday, and they will give him time to ramp up before he returns to the lineup. It’s unclear what that timeline looks like, but Lillard is certainly on pace to return sooner rather than later. Ryan Rollins should continue to start in place of Dame until he returns.