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The Dallas Mavericks will head to the Crypto.com Arena for a matchup against the LA Lakers on Tuesday, March 1. In the only game between the two sides this season, the Lakers were the team that came out with a victory, courtesy of a game-winner from rookie Austin Reaves.
The Mavericks come into this game after a thrilling win over the Golden State Warriors. Despite being down 14 points going into the fourth quarter, the Mavs fought their way back to come away with the win on the night.
Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie led the charge for the team with terrific performances in the clutch. The Warriors' defense was extremely unresponsive to the Mavs offense and this helped them secure a 107-101 win at home.
The Lakers, on the other hand, suffered a disappointing defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans. LeBron James scored 32 points for the Purple and Gold, but his efforts proved to be in vain. The Lakers conceded a total of 23 turnovers and looked to be completely out of synch from the tip-off.
CJ McCollum led the charge for the Pels with 22 points on 53.3% shooting from the floor. His efforts were vital for the team as they ended up securing a 123-95 win at the Crypto.com Arena.
Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs LA Lakers | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Tuesday, March 1, 11:00 PM ET [Wednesday, March 2, 8:30 AM IST]
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have been in terrific form lately. They have won seven of their last 10 games and are ranked fifth in the Western Conference with a 36-25 record. The Mavericks are also ranked fifth in terms of defensive ratings and are only getting better as the season progresses.
Luka Doncic has undoubtedly been their main player this season. However, contributions from others like Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock have also been vital for the Mavs.
They are finally looking like a team set to make a lot of noise in the playoffs. With just 19 games left of the regular season campaign, they will be looking to make the most of it and climb a few positions higher on the table.
Going up against the Lakers, the Mavs will be high on confidence from their resilient performance against the Warriors. Dallas will be hoping to bring all of that momentum into this encounter and get the better of a Lakers side who are currently struggling to find consistency.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic has been a man on a mission, delivering some special performances for the Mavericks lately. He is averaging 37.2 points per game over his last six appearances and is helping the Mavs become a force to be reckoned with in the West.
He will be looking to put on a massive performance against the Lakers to help the Mavericks get to a win. In his last game against the Warriors, he scored 34 for the Mavs. The Slovenian will be hoping for a repeat of that as he looks to exploit all the weaknesses in the Lakers defense.
if Doncic is on song, he will surely play a big role in helping Dallas level the regular-season series over Los Angeles.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Luka Doncic, G - Jalen Brunson, F - Reggie Bullock, F - Dorian Finney - Smith, C - Dwight Powell
LA Lakers Preview
The Lakers' story of disappointment continued after another dismal showing against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. Fans and media continue to slam the team for their string of poor performances, with many expecting the front office to do something to fix the situation.
LeBron James has been LA's only ray of hope in a largely gloomy season. However, the 37-year old's brilliance has been undervalued in light of the team's disappointing campaign.
New-acquisition Russell Westbrook is yet to play at the top of his game and has come under immense scrutiny because of it. Lakers fans are also hoping to see an improved version of him in the post-All-Star break, as they will need all hands on deck in the final stretch.
With just 22 games left, the the team does not have a lot of time to find their rhythm as they are currently ranked ninth in the west and hold a 27-33 record. Other sides such as the Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets have continued their stellar form as they vie for the playoffs. If the Lakers are to make it to the postseason, they will have to bring their best for all of their remaining fixtures.
Going up against the Mavs is no easy task, but the Lakers have a lot to play for and cannot afford a setback at this point. If everyone on the team plays some high-energy basketball, there is no stopping this team from getting the better of the Mavs at home.
Key Player - LeBron James
LeBron James has been the player of the season for the LA Lakers. Despite starting the season with a few niggling injuries, the four-time NBA champion has had an MVP caliber campaign. He was in the news amidst rumors of a possible feud with the Lakers front office.
However, he has since rubbished these claims and insists he is still focused on playing top-level basketball for the Lakers.
"King James" had a forgetful game against the Pelicans as he was booed by the fans due to the turnovers he and the team kept committing. He will be looking to turn all those boos into cheers when he takes the floor against the Mavericks.
LeBron James is undoubtedly going to be key for the team and if he takes over the game, there is no doubt that the Mavs will face a tough time trying to stop him on Tuesday.
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
G - Russell Westbrook, G - Malik Monk, F - LeBron James, F - Trevor Ariza, C - Dwight Howard
Mavericks vs Lakers Match Prediction
The Mavericks and the Lakers played an intense overtime game when they last faced off in December. With the form the Mavs are in, many would expect them to outplay the Lakers.
But given all the criticism LeBron James and the LA Lakers have received over the past week for their performances, they will be looking to play hard and get the win over the Mavs at home.
Where to watch the Mavericks vs Lakers game?
All games will be available to stream live on the official NBA app. This game between the Mavs and the Lakers will also be locally telecast on Bally Sports Southwest and Spectrum SportsNet.
Guess the Lakers players!
