The Los Angeles Lakers (20-15) and Dallas Mavericks (20-16) will meet in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The game will broadcast live on TNT.
The Lakers are 6.5-point road favorites over the Mavs on the spread, with the over/under set at 218.5 total points. Los Angeles is a -250 favorite to win outright, while Dallas is +205 to pull off the upset.
Let's get to my Lakers vs. Mavericks predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, January 7.
Lakers vs. Mavericks Picks, Prediction
Spread
It's hard to argue with the spread from the Lakers perspective, given how depleted the Mavericks are heading into tonight.
No Kyrie Irving, no Luka Doncic, and we're not expecting Daniel Gafford to play either.
Playing -6.5 Lakers feels too easy, almost like a trap, and the game is in Dallas.
The Lakers are 2-4 against the spread as a road favorite and 8-10 ATS on the road in general. I'll pass.
Moneyline
This is a Mavericks moneyline-or-bust spot, but I'm not playing it.
However, a Dallas win wouldn't stun me at all. The Mavs are deeper than you think.
Over/Under
I originally liked the Under when it opened at 225.5, but it has dropped to 218.5 since then.
I might play it if this number starts creeping back up, but it's too low right now.
My Pick: Dereck Lively Over 18.5 Points + Rebounds (-125)
Lakers vs. Mavericks Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -110 | 218.5 -110 / -110 | -250 |
| Mavericks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -110 | 218.5 -110 / -110 | +205 |
- Lakers vs. Mavericks spread: Lakers -6.5
- Lakers vs. Mavericks over/under: 218.5 points
- Lakers vs. Mavericks moneyline: Lakers -250, Mavericks +205
- Lakers vs. Mavericks best bet: Dereck Lively Over 18.5 Points + Rebounds
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks NBA Preview
There's two props I like for tonight's game.
The obvious one is Dereck Lively Over 18.5 Points + Rebounds. The sample size without Gafford isn't as extensive as the inverse. But earlier this season, Lively did get one similar opportunity and recorded 12 points and 9 rebounds in 28 minutes of work on the way to a win over the Knicks on November 27.
Lively should get more run than usual tonight, making him an instant double-double threat — sometimes he's even a threat with Gafford — but we can amplify those chances given the Mavs' injury report entering today.
I also played Quentin Grimes Over 1.5 threes at -166 on DraftKings.
Yeah, it's juiced, and because of that, you can take an alternate over 2.5 at plus-money, if you prefer that — more risky, obviously.
Grimes averages over 14 points and 2.2 makes from deep without just Doncic in the lineup.
We have less of a sample without both, but this quickly becomes a "who else will score?" situation.
Grimes should get plenty of volume. He has cleared 1.5 makes from deep in six of his last nine outings.
Lakers vs. Mavericks Predictions, Best Bets
My Mavericks vs. Lakers best bet is on Dereck Lively Over 18.5 Points + Assists, with the best line currently available at DraftKings. But as always, make sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Best Bet: Dereck Lively Over 18.5 Points + Rebounds
Lakers vs. Mavericks Parlay Picks
- Quentin Grimes Over 1.5 Three-Pointers (-166)
- Dereck Lively Over 18.5 Points + Rebounds (-125)
Parlay Payout: +160
