Lakers vs Mavericks NBA Basketball Odds March 12, 2011: In the midst of a war for the second seed in this year’s Western Conference Playoff picture, the (46-20) Los Angeles Lakers [+1] and the NBA Betting Odds favorite (47-18) Dallas Mavericks [-1] will test each other tonight in what should be a very entertaining game out in “Big D”. American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX, will be the site for this extraordinary matchup, which has a scheduled opening tipoff slated for 9 PM ET (8 PM CT/6 PM PT) on NBA TV.
Only 1½ games separate the Lakers and the Mavericks for the second spot in the West behind the San Antonio Spurs going into tonight. Both, Los Angeles and Dallas come into this game playing as well as anyone in the league, as both clubs have won 8 of its last 10 games. According to NBA Predictions experts, the OVER/UNDER between the Lakers and Mavericks tonight is set at a combined total of 193 points.
These teams will meet each other twice more in the regular season, with their final encounter scheduled for March 31 in Tinseltown. In their first head-to-head meeting, the Mavs were able to come away with a 109-100 victory, which adds even more importance to this game for the Purple and Gold.
A win tonight for Kobe Bryant & Co. would even the season series with the Mavs at one win apiece, and would set an all-important tiebreak at month’s end at the STAPLES Center. The Lakers are coming off a very disappointing loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday night, which put a stop to their 8-game win streak after the All-Star break.
Because of the loss, and the fact that the Lakers appear to always have Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs’ number in the past, I like Los Angeles to come away victorious tonight behind a huge effort from The Black Mamba. Kobe Bryant has made a living by lighting up Dallas whenever these rivals have matchup through the years, and tonight will be no different. I expect at least 40 from No.24 this evening and an MVP performance in the clutch, it's my NBA Picks for this one.
