NBA Basketball BETTING PREVIEW - Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Basketball

2026-02-12 - Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Lakers
United States : NBA Basketball
Thursday 12th February 2025 - Scheduled 10:30pm
3:30am (British Time)

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Preview

For the next few years, you have to believe these two teams will always be compared after the trade made between them that rocked not only the NBA, but the entire sports world.

The Los Angeles Lakers (32-21) will certainly feel they ended on the right side as they look to build around Luka Doncic in the years ahead, but the current roster looks short of the quality needed for a deep Playoff run.

LeBron James is a legendary figure, but he looks to be in a real decline, while Doncic has struggled to stay fit for long enough spells. The Lakers are going to need both, as well as Austin Reaves, to find some chemistry and rhythm together which will ensure at least a top six finish in the Western Conference and direct passage into the First Round of the post-season.

All of those players as well as other starters were rested last time out for the Lakers, but the assumption is that the home team will be selecting from a much stronger pool on Thursday. The only doubt is Luka Doncic and it may be a better idea for the Lakers to keep him in recovery mode right through the All Star Break.

Despite his likely absence against his former team, the Lakers are still going to be big favourites to beat a Dallas Mavericks (19-34) team trending in the wrong direction. Eight losses in a row leaves the Mavericks 6 games out of the Play In Tournament and they have accepted the foolishness of the trade made last year having already moved Anthony Davis on, even though he was the 'targeted' piece in the decision to allow Doncic to move on.

About the only positive from the trade is that the Dallas Mavericks were able to earn the right to Draft Cooper Flagg who has taken to the NBA like a duck to water.

Unfortunately Flagg is not expected to travel on Thursday and the Mavericks have given him little support, which has made things tough for the rookie to inspire anything more than he has even when Cooper Flagg's personal numbers have remained strong.

The Mavericks are taking on a Los Angeles Defensive unit that has regularly been criticised by Head Coach JJ Redick, but without Flagg, you do have to wonder if there is enough consistency on the Dallas roster to exploit gaps.

And at the same time, Dallas have really been struggling on the other end of the court.

This is certainly something that a rested Los Angeles team are going to be capable of exposing and there is every reason to believe the Lakers can produce a big enough win to cover the line set.

Dallas have failed to cover in each of the last four losses and that despite being given 7, 8, 11.5 and 8 points as the underdog. The line is similar to those in this one, while the Lakers have beaten the Mavericks four times in a row and have covered in each of the last three wins.

Prediction

The Los Angeles Lakers tend to be a team that are heavily backed and so usually given bigger lines to cover when set as a favourite than they should perhaps be asked to surpass.

However, the line looks justified in this case and the home team may have too much firepower for a Dallas team expected to be without star player Cooper Flagg.

The Pick :

Los Angeles Lakers 116-105 Dallas Mavericks

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Los Angeles Lakers - 7.5 Points at -112 with Bookmaker.EU