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Lakers vs. Mavericks Odds, Picks, Predictions: Can Christmas Day End L.A.'s Skid?

Philip Wood

Last Updated: December 25, 2022 4:09 AM EST • 2 min 46 sec read.

The Dallas Mavericks play host the spiralling Los Angeles Lakers in the second game of five on the NBA's 2022 Christmas Day slate. Read on for our top Lakers vs. Mavericks NBA picks.

Despite the best efforts of LeBron James, the Lakers have lost three games in a row, including a 134-130 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. Though James missed the first game of the three-game skid, he scored more than 30 points in each of the other two contests and at least 30 points in each of his last six games overall.

The Mavericks have won two games in a row to get back above .500, but they have been far from convincing throughout this season. Though the team has left something to be desired, Luka Doncic continues to impress and is coming off a 50-point performance on Friday night.

Read on for our top Lakers vs. Mavericks NBA pick for Christmas Day (odds via ; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our NBA best bets and all of our top NBA picks for Christmas Day!

Lakers vs. Mavericks Game Info

Date: Sunday, Dec. 25, 2:30 PM 
TV: ABC/ESPN
Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

Lakers vs. Mavericks Odds

Lakers vs. Mavericks Odds Analysis

The spread opened with the Mavericks favored by 4 points, but that number has shot all the way up to 7.5 as of Sunday morning. There has been no indication that this line is going to stop moving in favor of the Mavericks, especially after the lakers lost to the Hornets on Friday, but it would be surprising to see this hit double digits.

The total opened at 218.5, and it has shot all the way up to 232. This is not surprising considering two of the most popular scorers in the league, James and Doncic, will be going head-to-head in a very public game.

Lakers vs. Mavericks Pick

Lakers +8 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Doncic will be the best player on the court in this game, but aside from him, the Lakers and the Mavericks are actually evenly matched. Neither team has been good against the spread this season, and eight points is a lot considering how well James has been playing of late.

The Mavericks are 29th in the league against the spread, covering just 11 times all season. They have covered just one time in 13 tries when favored by six or more points. The Lakers haven’t been much better against the spread, failing to cover in their last three tries when underdogs of eight points or more. 

For the season, the Lakers are seventh in the NBA in points per game, averaging 115.7. Unfortunately for them, they are also 26th in the league in points allowed per game.

Yet, these numbers shouldn’t prevent anyone from backing the Lakers in this game. For as solid as the Mavericks have been defensively this season - they are sixth in the NBA in points allowed per game - they are just 23rd in the league in points scored per game. This should be a lower-scoring affair than many expect, and that will favor the Lakers keeping this within four baskets.

Lakers vs. Mavericks Best Odds

PointsBet (-107)

DraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsPointsBet
Lakers +8Lakers +8Lakers +7.5Lakers +8Lakers +8
-110-110-105-110-107

Four of our five Best NBA Betting Sites have the Lakers listed at +8. The only one that doesn’t is . The price being offered to give up a half-point isn’t worth it, especially since is offering +8 at their typical -107 odds.

, , and are all offering +8 at -110. There is a chance that this line continues to grow, so it could be worth waiting to see if you can get an even higher number at a solid price. Though, taking the Lakers at PointsBet right now offers a lot of value.

Lakers vs. Mavericks pick made 12/24/2022 at 9:12 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Philip Wood
Phil has covered sports betting since 2016, and he has been with SportsBook Review since 2022. He previously hosted the College Football Pick 'Em podcast for CanesInsight.com. He is always looking for value, especially on lines that just seem too good to be true. His belief is that if a line doesn't make sense just assume oddsmakers know something you don't. He also loves in-season futures. There is so much value to be had as the public overreacts weekly. Bettors tend to forget just how long NFL and college football seasons are. After all, the Green Bay Packers were 2-5 in 2023 and they made it to the Divisional Round. When deciding where to bet, it comes down to value over everything. +100 is always better than -110. An alumnus of The U, Phil always holds out hope that the next head coach will be the one who turns the football program around. He is also a diehard Detroit Lions fan and is willing to forgive Dan Campbell for forgetting that a kicker can be useful.