Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks 3/29/22: Starting Lineups, Matchup Preview, Betting Odds, Predictions

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Matchup Preview (3/29/22)

It’s crunch time for the Los Angeles Lakers, teetering between the ninth and tenth place in the Western Conference. A late-season surge from the San Antonio Spurs could keep them out of a play-in game if they are not careful. Therefore, every game the Lakers play between now and the end of the regular season is of the utmost importance, including this matchup against the Mavericks in Dallas. Unfortunately, after LeBron James suffered an ankle injury, he is doubtful to suit up, which will likely complicate matters further. The Mavericks have not played all that well in the past two weeks, going 2-3 in their past five games with a poor defensive rating. Luckily, this should be a correctable issue as the Mavs have been one of the best defenses all season long. The addition of Spencer Dinwiddie before the trade deadline could be a significant acquisition. Check out my thoughts and analysis below to see who I believe will win this game!

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Betting Odds

Every time I’m forced to cover a game that features the Los Angeles Lakers, I must sound like a broken record. Firstly, I never bet on the Lakers against the spread because they have been one of the biggest letdowns of the season, especially in that area. Additionally,  LeBron James will almost certainly miss this game due to a nasty-looking ankle injury. I will stick with the Dallas Mavericks at home ATS. Dallas is a better team in every way possible, and Los Angeles should still be without Anthony Davis and LeBron James, too. I don’t think Los Angeles has enough playmakers to post a significant number on this Mavericks defense that has been top five for much of the season.

How To Watch

Date: 3/29/22
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Arena: American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX
Channel: TNT

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Los Angeles Lakers Starting Lineup

PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Austin Reaves
SF: Malik Monk
PF: Stanley Johnson
C: Dwight Howard

Los Angeles Lakers Analysis

In their home game last Wednesday, the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers by five points. They did not have LeBron James for that game and probably would have won that game if they had him available; that is the kind of season it has been for the Lakers. Now, James will likely miss this game and others due to a gruesome ankle injury. This injury to James muddies the Lakers’ playoff chances as they are currently in tenth place and only one game ahead of the surging San Antonio Spurs. The only hope for Los Angeles is if LeBron and Anthony Davis, who has started to do some light activities on his sprained ankle, can return as soon as possible and string together several wins before the play-in tournament starts. If the Spurs pass the Lakers, they will miss the play-in tournament in one of the most embarrassing seasons for Los Angeles ever.

Dallas Mavericks Starting Lineup

PG: Luka Doncic
SG: Jalen Brunson
SF: Reggie Bullock
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith
C: Dwight Powell

Dallas Mavericks Analysis

After an impressive 7-1 start in March, the Mavs have since hit a bit of a slump, going 2-3 in their past five games. Dallas has had one of the top defenses in the NBA throughout the 2021-22 NBA season; however, recently, Dallas has struggled on that end of the floor. Over its past five games, Dallas has recorded a defensive rating of 117.4, which is just outside the bottom ten in the NBA during that span. This is not the end of the world, as the small sample size is likely an outlier in the big picture, but it is something to watch. Still, Dallas could make a splash in the playoffs if it corrects itself on the defensive end and gets massive efforts from Luka Doncic and company.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Daily Fantasy Picks

This may only be the second or third time during the 2021-2022 NBA season that I will recommend Russell Westbrook for DFS purposes. However, one thing that is undeniable about Russell Westbrook is how hard he plays every game he is on the floor; this has always been the case. Towards the end of this season, there will be some teams who phone it in, rest key players, or feel comfortable where they stand in their respective conferences. When that happens, players like Westbrook will thrive because they have no “off button” and tend to get more open looks in transition and the half-court. Additionally, Westbrook will be without the services of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, leaving him with a ridiculous amount of offensive workload. With all that being said, Westbrook has still been solid in his past four games, averaging 22 points, 9.3 assists, and 8.5 rebounds per game on a 52/48/57 shooting split. While he has been ineffective from the free-throw line and needs to get that number up, it is impressive how efficient he has been from the floor. Even if his efficiency begins to falter a bit, what is essential is that he continues to have a significant volume, which he will if James and Davis remain out.

Spencer Dinwiddie was saved from the deep, dark depths of the Wizards’ organizations when the Mavericks acquired him before the end of the trade deadline. Dinwiddie was not having a solid year in Washington, mainly due to an inadequate fit within the team’s roster. He had bright moments, especially at the beginning of the year, but dropped significantly after the first third of the 2021-22 season. Excluding Dinwiddie’s first two games for the Mavericks, he has averaged roughly 20 points, four assists, and four rebounds on just shy of a 50/40/80 shooting split. Dinwiddie is also a player that I have been looking at for player props because his lines have not been fully recalibrated since his move to Dallas.