The clash against the Dallas Mavericks comes up next for the Los Angeles Lakers, who have won just three out of their last 12 games.
The Lakers will play without DeAndre Jordan, who was waived ahead of the game to clear room for the signing of D.J. Augustin. Anthony Davis, Kendrick Nunn and Avery Bradley remain sidelined with injuries as well.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks travel to L.A. without Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss, Tim Hardaway Jr., Frank Ntilikina, and Theo Pinson.
However, they will have Luka Doncic, who has been in terrific form since the end of January. Doncic averaged 34.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists over the last 10 games, shooting 41.2% from downtown — leading Dallas to a 7-3 record during that stretch.
Besides the danger posed by the 23-year-old phenomenon, the Mavericks could prove to be a tough matchup for the Lakers. Dallas boasts the fifth-best defense in the NBA, smothering shooters along the perimeter in particular.
The Mavericks give up just 10.7 triples per game, the fewest in the NBA.
That’s a worrying sign for L.A., who ended Sunday’s 28-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans with more turnovers (23) than assists (15), shooting 7-for-34 (20.6%) from beyond the arc.
LeBron James and Russell Westbrook recorded seven turnovers each on Sunday. The Lakers will need them to step up in orchestrating the offense against Dallas, whose defense will likely put even more pressure on the two stars during the Tuesday clash.
But James and Westbrook won’t be able to battle Doncic and Co. without support from the bench, which combined for just 36 points against the Pelicans. That included Malik Monk’s 0-for-5 night, perhaps his worst performance in a Lakers jersey to date.
Efficient play and solid defense will be key to defeating the Mavericks, whose offense can sputter under pressure — as it revolves entirely around Doncic after Kristaps Porzingis’ departure. Timely-deployed double-teams on the Slovenian star could give the Lakers an edge.
Also, Dallas has struggled in the paint on both ends of the floor this season, paving the way for Dwight Howard to dominate the glass.
The Lakers will hardly enter the game as the favorites, but they have the tools to increase their chances of snatching a win that they so desperately need.
Lakers (27-33) vs. Mavericks (36-25)
7:00 p.m. PT, March 1, 2022
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
TV: TNT, Spectrum SportsNet
Radio: 710 AM ESPN LA
Projected Lakers Starting Lineup:
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Austin Reaves
SF: LeBron James
PF: Trevor Ariza
C: Dwight Howard
Key Reserves: Talen Horton-Tucker, Malik Monk, Carmelo Anthony, Wayne Ellington
Projected Mavericks Starting Lineup:
PG: Jalen Brunson
SG: Luka Doncic
SF: Reggie Bullock
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith
C: Dwight Powell
Key Reserves: Maxi Kleber, Davis Bertans, Spencer Dinwiddie
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