Today's top games to watch, best bets, odds: Mavericks vs. Lakers, Trail Blazers vs. Jazz and more
With the NBA All-Star festivities set to take over the basketball world this weekend, the league offers one final, jam-packed slate of regular-season action before the break. Today’s schedule features teams desperate to head into the hiatus on a high note, highlighted by a Western Conference clash at Crypto.com Arena and a high-octane matchup in Salt Lake City.
The marquee showdown sees the Los Angeles Lakers (32-21) hosting the reeling Dallas Mavericks (19-34). For Los Angeles, this game presents a golden opportunity to snap a two-game skid and stabilize their playoff positioning. The betting markets agree, installing the Lakers as 7.5-point favorites. The Mavericks are in a freefall, having lost eight consecutive games, and their roster situation is dire. Superstar Luka Dončić remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, and the team is also without rookie sensation and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who is out with a foot injury.
Without Dončić or Flagg to anchor the offense, Dallas has struggled mightily, posting one of the league's worst offensive ratings over the last two weeks. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, should have a significant advantage in the paint and on the glass. The smart money suggests the Lakers will not only win but cover the spread against a depleted Dallas squad looking more toward the lottery than the postseason.
Elsewhere, the Portland Trail Blazers travel to face the Utah Jazz. While Portland enters as 8.5-point favorites, bettors should be wary of Utah's home-court potency. The Jazz are averaging a blistering 121.8 points per game in Salt Lake City, the best home scoring mark in the NBA. Rookie guard Isaiah Collier has been a revelation for Utah recently, averaging 17.4 points over his last five contests.
For bettors eyeing the total, the Jazz’s pace and Portland’s defensive inconsistencies make the Over an attractive play. As the league prepares to pause for the All-Star showcase, expect these teams to leave everything on the floor in tonight's finale.
The marquee showdown sees the Los Angeles Lakers (32-21) hosting the reeling Dallas Mavericks (19-34). For Los Angeles, this game presents a golden opportunity to snap a two-game skid and stabilize their playoff positioning. The betting markets agree, installing the Lakers as 7.5-point favorites. The Mavericks are in a freefall, having lost eight consecutive games, and their roster situation is dire. Superstar Luka Dončić remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, and the team is also without rookie sensation and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who is out with a foot injury.
Without Dončić or Flagg to anchor the offense, Dallas has struggled mightily, posting one of the league's worst offensive ratings over the last two weeks. The Lakers, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, should have a significant advantage in the paint and on the glass. The smart money suggests the Lakers will not only win but cover the spread against a depleted Dallas squad looking more toward the lottery than the postseason.
Elsewhere, the Portland Trail Blazers travel to face the Utah Jazz. While Portland enters as 8.5-point favorites, bettors should be wary of Utah's home-court potency. The Jazz are averaging a blistering 121.8 points per game in Salt Lake City, the best home scoring mark in the NBA. Rookie guard Isaiah Collier has been a revelation for Utah recently, averaging 17.4 points over his last five contests.
For bettors eyeing the total, the Jazz’s pace and Portland’s defensive inconsistencies make the Over an attractive play. As the league prepares to pause for the All-Star showcase, expect these teams to leave everything on the floor in tonight's finale.
