L..A. Lakers at Dallas
Time: 7:30 PM CT (NBA LP)
Spread: DAL -10
Total: 204
Betting odds c/o 5dimes
The Los Angeles Lakers have lost seven-straight games and sit in the cellar of the Western Conference. The Lakers are 12-18 at home where they’ll host the Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 (CT) PM on NBA League Pass. NBA oddsmakers favor the Mavericks by 10-points. Dallas has won six of its past 10 games and its past two overall to pull within 2.5 games of the No. 8 seeded Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference playoff picture.
Dallas may be the team to bet on claiming that No. 8 seed. Though Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut were subtracted from the fold, the Mavs have the young talent to more than fill their shoes and step forward an odd rebuilding project. On one hand, Dallas has added its frontcourt pieces of the future in Harrison Barnes and Nerlens Noel.
Yet on the other, the Mavericks are a team committed to finishing Dirk Nowitzki’s final career seasons on a high note. That means there will be no effort to tank in any form imaginable, but maybe that goes without saying with Dallas very much running for that No. 8 spot.
As to what an eventual seven-game series with the Golden State Warriors could represent other than a sweep? It would be a move in the right direction, and the Mavericks have made plenty of such strides since beginning the season looking as though it may post the conference’s worst record.
Instead, that ignominious honor goes to its opponent, the woeful Lakers. To be fair, Magic Johnson took over as team president and VP and decided to make a move in the direction of tanking by trading the team’s leading scorer Lou Williams for journeyman Corey Brewer. The Lakers definititely got worse, but it also opens up minutes for the development of D’Angelo Russell, who has to be a priority for the Lakers. While Russell can be very good, he is inconsistent and sometimes has a shaky shot selection.
That could be a product of playing on a team with chuckers like Nick Young, but Young has reformed his once erratic game and been a productive rotation player all season. So the inconsistent play of the Lakers backcourt has to fall largely on itself, and opposing backcourts seem to have a field day with this Lakers team, which surrenders 110.8 points per game.
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That could mean big nights for both Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell of the Mavericks. Both have been shooting the ball well, and in recent weeks Seth has been almost indistinguishable from his MVP brother, Steph. Over the Mavericks last 10 games, Curry has averaged 19.1 points an 3.4 assists per game while shooting a blistering 54.5 percent from the field. Over his past five, he has been even better with 21.8 points per game and 53.4 percent shooting (53.1 percent from three on 6.4 attempts per game).
The future of the Mavericks is in the hands of Seth and Yogi, and that made moving away from Deron Williams the easy and right thing to do at the deadline. As to how it impacts the long-term rebuild in Dallas? It is tough to even say the Mavericks are doing that. It is more of a transitional period as Nowitzki ages and Barnes flourishes.
There have been stranger rebuilds, but the fact that Dallas does not need to dismantle its roster to progress is being highlighted by obtaining useful starters for pennies as it did in acquring Nerlens Noel for Justin Anderson at the trade deadline.
The Lakers will look to involve Julius Randle heavily as the season winds down too. It is imperative that the team decides whether the undersized 4-man can be a featured part of the offense, whether he is going to be “L.A.’s Draymond,” in essence. Randle is averaging 12.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, and at times he shows the briliance necessary to lead a team from the forward spot. Over his past 10 games, he is averaging 13 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists while playing 27 minutes a game.
But Randle was poor in the 105-97 loss to the New Orleans Hornets, allowing Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins to score at will while going 2 of 7 from the floor hiimself en route to just five points, six assists and 12 rebounds. The all-around contribution is not to be ignored, but the 6’9” Randle had more than a few issues with Davis’ length and the Pelicans were in control of the game the majority of the way. With New Orleans gearing up for a run at that No. 8 spot and the Lakers firmly in the midst of a true tanking effort, there may be many more such tough losses for this growing group of youngsters.
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