Lakers vs. Mavericks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, Jan. 7

Dallas has lost five straight games without Luka Doncic.

The Lakers are road favorites on Tuesday. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Dallas Mavericks since Christmas Day, and they may slip further in the Western Conference standings on Tuesday night.

Dallas is playing the second night of a back-to-back on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, and it dropped a fifth straight game on Monday when it played the Memphis Grizzlies (without Ja Morant). 

Dallas has been without Luka Doncic since he was injured on Christmas, and now it appears Kyrie Irving is also out for an extended period of time with a back injury.

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving has a bulging disc in his back and is expected to miss at least 1 to 2 weeks, sources tell me and @espn_macmahon. There is optimism that treatment over the coming days will provide a return to play target date. pic.twitter.com/HuNjAadyMi

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 6, 2025

Losing both stars at this juncture in the 2024-25 season is a huge blow, and Dallas has already dropped to the No. 6 seed in the West.

Meanwhile, the Lakers hold the No. 5 seed in the conference and have won seven of their last 10 games. JJ Redick’s squad is just 8-10 straight up on the road this season, but oddsmakers have set the Lakers as sizable road favorites against this banged-up Dallas squad.

Here’s a full look at odds, players to bet in the prop market and my prediction for Tuesday’s Western Conference showdown.  

Lakers vs. Mavericks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Lakers -7 (-108)
• Mavs +7 (-112)

Moneyline

• Lakers: -278
• Mavs: +225

Total

• 219 (Over -108/Under -112)

Lakers vs. Mavericks How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, Jan. 7
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: American Airlines Center
• How to Watch (TV): TNT
• Lakers record: 20-15
• Mavs record: 20-16

Lakers vs. Mavericks Injury Reports

Lakers Injury Report

• LeBron James – probable
• Anthony Davis – probable
• Cam Reddish – questionable
• Gabe Vincent – questionable
• Christian Wood – out
• Jarred Vanderbilt – out
• Jalen Hood-Schifino – out

Mavs Injury Report

• Not submitted yet 

(Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are both out with week-to-week injuries)

Lakers vs. Mavericks Best NBA Prop Bets

Los Angeles Lakers Best NBA Prop Bet

• Max Christie OVER 1.5 3-Pointers Made (+114)

Max Christie has made multiple shots from beyond the arc in five of his last seven games, and he’s shooting 37.5 percent from deep on the season.

Now in the starting lineup, Christie has a higher floor when it comes to this prop, taking at least five shots from deep in five of his last six games. 

Dallas Mavericks Best NBA Prop Bet

• Klay Thompson UNDER 17.5 Points (-120)

Klay Thompson has fallen short of 18 points in eight straight games, and he has done it even with Irving and Doncic out of the lineup. 

Klay shot just 5-for-16 from the field on Monday night, and he’s shooting just 40.2 percent from the field over this eight-game stretch. Klay is also averaging just 14.2 points per game on the season, so I’m far from sold on him going over this total against Los Angeles. 

Lakers vs. Mavericks Prediction and Pick

It’s nearly impossible to back Dallas right now, as it’s lost five games in a row both straight up and against the spread.

While the Lakers haven’t fared well on the road this season, they have a clear talent advantage over Dallas without Luka and Kyrie. After a fast start in games that Luka missed, Dallas has lost six of the last eight games that he’s missed.

The Lakers have played well over their last 10 games, ranking eighth in the NBA in net rating and seventh in offensive rating. 

I’ll lay the points with the Lakers, especially since Dallas is playing the second night of a back-to-back. 

Pick: Lakers -7 (-105)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.