The Mavs have hovered around. 500 all year, which describes their season perfectly. They’ve been a middle-of-the-pack kind of team, having trouble emerging as a contender in the Western Conference. Los Angeles is still a few games below. 500, as the injury bug has stuck once again. Anthony Davis is out for the foreseeable future, meaning the Lakers have a hill to climb to get back into the playoff picture.

This game could come down to role players, with Dallas needing a big game from Christian Wood and the Lakers in need of Russell Westbrook s