Lakers vs. Mavericks prediction and odds for Tuesday, Dec. 12 (Take LA on the road)

The Los Angeles Lakers hope to carry the momentum from their impressive In-Season Tournament run into tonight's regular season matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. This is the second time these two teams have played each other this season, with the Mavericks winning 104-101 in Los Angeles on Nov 22.

The Lakers haven't played well on the road this season (4-7), dropping two out of their last three regular-season contests away from Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point road favorite ahead of tip-off after Dallas was the favorite.

The Mavericks have won three consecutive games heading into tonight's game, but they were against Portland, Utah, and Memphis. It's not an impressive list of wins, but LeBron James and Co. know what this Mavericks' team can do despite missing key players due to injury.

Here are the odds and our best bet for Los Angeles-Dallas:

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Lakers vs. Mavericks odds, spread and total

Lakers vs. Mavericks how to watch

• Date: Tuesday, Dec. 12
• Game Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: American Airlines Center
• How to Watch (TV): TNT
• Lakers Record: 14-9
• Mavericks Record: 14-8

Lakers vs. Mavericks injury reports

Los Angeles Lakers injury report

• Anthony Davis – questionable
• Rui Hachimura – available
• Jalen Hood-Schifino – out
• LeBron James – questionable
• Jarred Vanderbilt – questionable
• Gabe Vincent – out

Dallas Mavericks injury report

• Not yet submitted

Lakers vs. Mavericks key players to watch

Los Angeles Lakers

Anthony Davis: Davis is coming off an outstanding performance against the Pacers over the weekend in the In-Season Tournament championship. The star power forward had 41 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, and four blocks. He was unstoppable, as it didn’t matter who Indiana had on him. Davis will try to build off that 40/20 performance against the Mavericks, who held him to 10 points and 13 rebounds in their first matchup on Nov. 22. 

Dallas Mavericks

Luka Doncic: Doncic turned in another 30-point effort in Monday night’s win over the Grizzlies. The superstar point guard led the Mavericks with 35 points while grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out six assists. Doncic has scored 30 or more points in seven straight games. One of those games was against the Lakers, where he fell two assists short of a triple-double. He had 30 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in a three-point win.

Lakers vs. Mavericks prediction and pick

Fresh off an In-Season Tournament Championship, the Lakers will try to win their fourth straight game tonight against the Mavs. Currently, James and Davis are listed as questionable to play, which is why the line is only at 1.5 points.

However, James hasn’t missed a game since Nov. 12, while Davis hasn’t missed a game since Nov. 8. If both play, then the Lakers have a great chance of winning tonight. This season, LA is 3-1 straight up in the first game of a back-to-back. They are also 3-2-1 against the spread as a road favorite. 

Meanwhile, the Mavericks are 2-2 ATS in the second game of a back-to-back. Dallas has played well at home this season (8-4) and is riding a three-game win streak, where they are outscoring their opponents by 23.3 points per game. I don’t think the Mavericks will blow out LA tonight, as the first meeting between these two teams was decided by three points. 

If James and Davis both play tonight, I like the Lakers to grab the win. It won’t be easy, as the Mavericks have been tough at home. However, Los Angeles is getting excellent production from Austin Reaves off the bench, which could be the difference between a win and a loss.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.