Lakers vs. Mavericks: NBA Western Conference Rivals Meet on Wednesday Night

Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks
Wednesday, 2/22/12, 9:30 PM EST, TV: ESPN
Opening Point Spread: Dallas -4.5
Current Betting Line: Dallas -4.5
Opening Total: 179.5
Current Total: 180.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant leads the NBA in scoring

Los Angeles will play a very important back-to-back set against Western Conference opponents before heading to the All-Star break, taking on the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder on the road starting tonight. The Lakers have won four of their last five games and the “over” is also 4-1 in that span. Shooting guard Kobe Bryant scored a team-high 28 points in the team’s impressive 103-92 win over the Portland Trail Blazers as four-point home favorites last time out. He leads the NBA in averaging 29.0 points per game. Los Angeles is 4-12 ATS on the road this year.

The Lakers registered an ugly 73-70 win over the Mavericks in their first meeting this year as 3.5-point home favorites, going well below the posted total of 181.5. Los Angeles has proven victorious in seven of the last 10 meetings in this series, but has managed to posting a 4-6 mark in its last 10 trips to the American Airlines Center. Bryant should try to drive the basketball tonight due to missing his last 16 attempts from beyond the arc inside tonight’s venue.

Dallas has won seven of its last eight games and will play its final game before the break against a fierce rival, as forward Dirk Nowitzki has come on over the last couple weeks. He scored 26 points and grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds in leading the franchise to a 89-73 win over the Boston Celtics as 9.5-point home favorites last time out. The Mavericks defense has been sensational in winning four straight home games, surrendering just 85.8 points per game on 38.9 percent shooting over that span. Dallas is 10-7 ATS at home and the “under” is 12-6 in that situation this year.

The Mavericks enter tonight with a 13-5 overall home record, which includes a 10-3 mark versus Western Conference foes. Dallas has managed to average 96.5 points per game over the last eight contests, while giving up just 89.3 points per game in the same amount of time. The team has held 10 of its last 11 opponents under the century mark. Guard Jason Terry is someone to watch off the bench tonight, averaging 24.0 points and knocking down 20 of 33 3-point shots in his last five home games against the Lakers.