What’s going on with the Mavericks?
The Dallas Mavericks are coming off an inspired comeback win against the Golden State Warriors. Luka Doncic and the newly-acquired Spencer Dinwiddie conspired for a 26-1 run in the fourth quarter to stun the Warriors.
Since the new year, the Mavericks have been on a roll. They are on pace to secure a playoff berth, tied with the Denver Nuggets at No. 5 in the Western Conference. Ranked the fifth-best team in terms of defensive rating, the Mavs’ much-improved defense has allowed them to turn their season around at the most opportune time.
Doncic continues to be the team’s focal point, averaging 27.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.9 assists. He has the second-highest usage rate in the league, next to Joel Embiid and ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Needless to say, Dallas goes where Luka goes. The Mavs are in for a wild ride because the young superstar, who just turned 23 yesterday, obviously has no plans of slowing down.
What’s going on with the Lakers?
While the Mavericks are trending upwards, the Los Angeles Lakers continue to spiral down. Even the most loyal Laker fans seem to have given up on the season, especially after what happened in their recent game.
The Lakers just suffered an embarrassing 28-point beating at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans. The players’ body language in that loss is even more disappointing than the final score, which makes it a lot harder for fans to be optimistic.
With the regular season now winding down, the Lakers are still struggling to get any rhythm. They have lost seven of their last 10 games, putting them in ninth place with a 27-33 record.
Mavericks-Lakers matchup
Despite the Lakers’ dire situation, this is still a top-billed game with Luka and LeBron expected to put on a show.
No matter their place in the standings, you can never really count a LeBron team out. The King has been doing everything in his powers to revitalize his crew. It won’t be easy to bounce back with Luka and the Mavs standing in their way, but the least they could do right now is show some sense of urgency.
The surging Mavericks are dead set on finishing the season strong. After a great win over the Warriors, this game against the Lakers is theirs to lose.
