The Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, Dec. 25 at 2:30 p.m. ET in what is arguably the best superstar matchup of the NBA Christmas Day slate.
The Lakers, of course, roster LeBron James, who is perhaps the greatest player in NBA history. On the other hand, the Mavericks have Luka Dončić, who may be the most talented young player we’ve seen since James.
See how I have this exciting meeting playing out in my Los Angeles vs Dallas best bets and predictions.
Lakers vs Mavericks Odds
As of Thursday, Dec. 22 at 1 p.m. ET, the Mavericks are listed as 7.5-point favorites at bet365 Sportsbook. With the Lakers missing Anthony Davis, this line has swung heavily in Dallas’ favor.
Lakers vs Mavericks Implied Totals
Mavericks 116.5, Lakers 109
Bookmakers have the total for this game set at 225.5 points, with the Mavericks winning by nearly eight.
Lakers vs Mavericks Pick of the Day
Read more on this Lakers vs Mavericks bet below.
Lakers vs Mavericks Prediction
Mavericks 111, Lakers 101
This is the first meeting between these teams in 2022-23, so we don’t have any past results to base this prediction on. With that said, Dallas did win the season series 2-1 last year, and despite their inconsistencies, I still feel that they’re better equipped to take this matchup.
The Mavericks are 12-5 at home and 4-11 on the road this season, which speaks volumes about how heavily they rely on their home crowd. That’s bad news for the Lakers, who are 5-11 outright and against the spread on the road.
Dallas is also a fantastic three-point shooting team, which raises questions about how well Los Angeles will be able to keep up. The Mavs make the third-most three-pointers per game this season, while the Lakers rank dead-last in makes.
James will have a productive day in the paint and on the glass, but as long as the Mavericks can limit his scoring opportunities to a reasonable degree, they should pull away with the Christmas Day victory.
Lakers vs Mavericks Bet Tips
Here are a few Lakers vs Mavericks betting trends to consider before making your bets. Note that all statistics are current as of Thursday, Dec. 22.
- The Lakers are 12-19 against the spread, while the Mavericks are 11-19-2.
- Dallas is 12-4 outright as a home favorite but 5-10-1 ATS in those same situations.
- Overs are a combined 36-27 in Lakers and Mavericks games.
Lakers vs Mavericks Best Bets
Mavericks -7.5 (-110) at bet365 Sportsbook
The Mavs’ home ATS record is concerning, but the Lakers have been bad enough on the road this season to make me believe that Dallas can cover the spread. Don’t expect an easy win, here, though.
Under 225.5 Total Points (-110) at bet365 Sportsbook
Overs have hit in a majority of games for these two teams this year, but with Davis out, the Under looks like the more appealing play. Los Angeles will struggle to find as many scoring opportunities in the paint, which will in turn hurt their offense in just about every way.
Lakers vs Mavericks Props
Check out the best Lakers vs Mavericks player prop bets for NBA Christmas Day with our props comparison tool. Click on “Show More Games" below to find the Los Angeles vs Dallas game and see all of its prop bets.
