MAVERICKS (36-25) at LOS ANGELES LAKERS (27-33)
Time: 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Place: Cryoto.com Arena, Los Angeles.
TV: TNT
Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; Univision Zona MX 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: Coming off perhaps their best win of the season, a 107-101 victory over Golden State Sunday night at San Francisco, they now close out a three-game trip with a visit to LA. They have a chance to go 2-1 on the trip, which would be a major accomplishment . . . Against the Warriors, they were down by 21 points in the third quarter and by 19 early in the fourth. It was the first time since 2007 that the Warriors lost a 20-point-plus lead in the fourth quarter in a regulation game . . . No matter what happens tonight, the Mavericks will have just 20 games left (10 home, 10 road) after this game and they will be trying to take aim at the No. 4 seed and a home-court advantage in the first round. They also will be hoping not to slip down to the play-in tournament. They are four games ahead of Minnesota, which is in seventh place in the Western Conference, which will be in the play-in tournament. They are 2 ½ games behind Utah for the fourth seed. They are tied with Denver in the fourth and fifth seeds . . . No matter how the Lakers have gone lately, they’ve always been tough on the Mavericks, winning 10 of the last 13 meetings. That comes after the Mavericks had dominated the series, winning 15 of 16 before the swoon began . . . Newcomer Spencer Dinwiddie has made 18-of-26 shots in the last two games (69.2 percent) while averaging 22 points . . . They again will be shorthanded with Frank Ntilikina, Marquese Chriss, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Theo Pinson shelved by injuries.
About the Lakers: They appear to be broken. They have lost five of their last six, including their first two games (both at home) after the All-Star break. Most recently, they were smashed 123-95 at the former Staples Center by the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday . . . They have not been at full strength. Anthony Davis (foot) has missed the first two games after the break and even when he played the final eight games before the All-Star break, the Lakers were only 3-5 . . . LeBron James has been dealing with knee soreness, too, although he has played through it. In the two games after the break, he has averaged 26.5 points, 8.5 rebounds 3 assists and 6.5 turnovers. . . Suffice it to say the marriage of Russell Westbrook with James and Davis has not gone as hoped in La-La Land. Westbrook has averaged 18.2 points, the lowest since his second season in the league in 2010-11. His other numbers, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists, also are well below his averages of the last six seasons (9.9 rebounds, 10.2 assists) . . . Their problems on offense are considerable. They are 25th in overall offensive rating, 27th in turnovers (14.8 per game) and next-to-last in free-throw percentage (72.4 percent) . . . All of that said, they still would be in the play-in tournament if the season ended today (ninth in the Western Conference). And, when healthy, they still possess enough firepower to make noise in the postseason.
Twitter: @ESefko
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