Mavericks vs Lakers Prediction, Odds & Best Bets | NBA Betting (1/17): LeBron Finds 3-Point Success

Today’s Mavericks vs Lakers prediction is brought to you by Bovada. Bovada is a market leader in sports betting, offering various options from the NBA to the UFC and everything in between.

Basketball fans can rejoice as the NBA has nine games lined up for Wednesday, Jan. 17, including a clash between the Dallas Mavericks (24-17) and Los Angeles Lakers (20-21), which will be nationally broadcast on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Wednesdays in January, @ESPNNBA will present #NBA games on @ABCNetwork & ESPN

Jan. 17
🏀 7:30p | Bucks vs Cavaliers | ESPN
🏀 8:30p | Mavericks vs Lakers | ABC

Jan. 24
🏀 8:30p | Suns vs Mavericks | ABC
🏀 9:30p | Thunder vs Spurs | ESPN

*All times ET pic.twitter.com/ggfnMiLAX6

— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) January 3, 2024

The Mavericks return to the road after going 5-2 SU on a seven-game homestand. Meanwhile, the Lakers hope to keep the good vibes going after Anthony Davis’ double-double (27 points, 15 rebounds) paved the way to Monday’s 112-105 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

When it comes to representing the West at the 2023-24 NBA Finals, both teams are somewhat long shots at the moment. Bovada’s futures odds have Los Angeles tied for the sixth-best shot (+1500) at winning the Western Conference Finals while Dallas sits further back at +1600 (8th).

Tonight’s contest doesn’t feature a shortage when it comes to superstar names or betting options, so let’s dive into my Mavericks vs Lakers predictions and best bets to get started.

Mavericks vs Lakers NBA Betting Tonight (1/17)

Mavericks vs Lakers Matchup Information

• Matchup: Dallas Mavericks (24-17, 11-8 Away) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (20-21, 14-7 Home)
• Venue & Location: crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, CA)
• Date: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2023
• Game Time: 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time
• How to Watch Mavericks vs. Lakers: ABC

Mavericks vs Lakers Odds & Spread

Lakers vs. Mavericks odds are courtesy of Bovada as of Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 9:04 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Mavericks vs Lakers Spread

• Dallas Mavericks +3.5 (-110)
• Los Angeles Lakers -3.5 (-110)

Lakers vs Mavericks Over/Under

• Over 243 Points (-110)
• Under 243 Points (-110)

Mavericks vs Lakers Moneyline

• Dallas Mavericks (+140)
• Los Angeles Lakers (-165)

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Mavericks vs Lakers Betting Trends

• Dallas is 7-1 straight up in its last eight games vs. the Lakers.
• The Lakers are 3-9 straight up in their last 12 games on a Wednesday.
• Dallas is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games vs. the Western Conference.
• The Lakers are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games vs. Dallas.
• The total hit the Under in four of Dallas’ last six road games.
• The total hit the Under in 13 of the Lakers’ last 17 home games.

Mavericks vs Lakers Prediction & Pick (1/17)

Tonight marks the third and final Mavericks-Lakers clash of the 2023-24 regular campaign. Dallas is in a position to pull off the sweep tonight after winning the first two encounters, notching a 104-101 win at crypto.com Arena on Nov. 22 before winning 127-125 at home about three weeks later.

Having said that, the one-sided dominance isn’t anything new when it comes to these teams. The Mavericks have won seven of their last eight meetings with the Lakers, outscoring them by an average of 4.9 points per game. Additionally, Dallas hasn’t lost to Los Angeles on the road since Christmas Day 2020, winning four consecutive away matchups since then.

Nevertheless, this is the Mavericks’ first road game since Jan. 1, so it’ll be interesting to see how they perform in enemy territory again. After all, they haven’t found much success away from home lately, dropping four of their last six road outings.

The Lakers, on the flip side, have been solid (for the most part) at crypto.com Arena. They’re 15-7 SU in Los Angeles thus far, which includes winning three of their last four home games. That’s without mentioning how they’re one of the better teams in several home statistics, including defensive efficiency (6th), opponent FG% (7th), defensive rebounds (5th), and steals (5th).

The Lakers have displayed solid defensive play at home this season. But can the offense pick up the pace?

The Lakers’ defense, no doubt, will be challenged by the Mavericks tonight. Dallas averages the seventh-most points in the NBA while averaging the 11th-most field goals and second-most three-pointers made per game. The Mavs’ offense is anchored by gifted superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, who are averaging 33.6 PPG and 25.8 PPG, respectively.

While Los Angeles does boast the likes of LeBron James (24.7 PPG) and Anthony Davis (25.1 PPG), the duo doesn’t have much support beyond D’Angelo Russell (15.4 PPG) and Austin Reaves (15.1 PPG). The lack of depth is a big reason why the Lakers only average 114.3 PPG (18th), which drops to 113.6 PPG at home (22nd).

For reference, the Mavericks average a solid 116.4 PPG on the road, which comes ranks 11th-best in the NBA.

The Mavericks haven’t had issues putting up numbers on the road, but can that trend continue against the Lakers tonight?

With how close the first two meetings were, I could see this game going either way. Having said that, though, I will take the Mavericks to sweep the season series. Although Los Angeles could just as well win tonight, LeBron & Co. haven’t been all that consistent. Dallas has recent momentum on its side and has had L.A.’s number for the last few years, so back the visitors to find a way to win.

But regardless of who emerges victorious, I’m taking the Under as the best bet. Not only is the Under 4-2 in the Mavericks’ last six road games, but it’s also 13-4 in the Lakers’ 17 previous home outings. Furthermore, Dallas and Los Angeles missed their projected point total in nine of their last 10 meetings at crypto.com Arena, averaging 218.3 in the last four alone.

In other words, don’t expect a Hollywood shootout tonight.

Mavericks vs Lakers Prediction: DAL wins

Best Mavericks vs Lakers NBA Bet: u243 Total Points (-110)

Get 50% up to $750 on this pick over on Bovada

Best Mavericks vs Lakers NBA Prop Bet (1/17)

If you’re trying to add a Mavericks vs. Lakers player prop to your bet slip, think about taking LeBron James to finish with over 1.5 threes made.

The 39-year-old is having one of his better years from the perimeter, averaging 2.1 threes made on 39.0% shooting. He also shot 7-of-17 (41.1%) from the three-point line in the first two games against the Mavericks this season, finishing with the Over in each contest. In fact, he’s now finished with at least a pair of three-pointers in 11 of his last 15 encounters with Dallas.

With the Mavs being fairly average at defending the three-point ball this season, LeBron shouldn’t struggle to finish with at least two threes tonight.

Best Mavericks vs Lakers Prop Bet: LeBron James o1.5 Threes Made (-145)

Get 50% up to $750 on this pick over on Bovada

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