Mavericks vs. Lakers Prediction & NBA Odds for Feb. 25

Luka Dončić will get his first opportunity for revenge when the Los Angeles Lakers (34-21) host the Dallas Mavericks (31-27) at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday in Crypto.com Arena.

Dončić is coming off his best performance as a Laker since being traded by the Mavs without his knowledge earlier this month. Dončić finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists to lead the Lakers to a 23-point win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

Los Angeles is a 7.5-point favorite over a short-handed Dallas team, but all eyes will be on what Dončić does against his former team on TNT.

Here is a look at the latest Mavericks vs. Lakers NBA odds and my prediction ahead of Tuesday’s showdown:

Mavericks vs. Lakers NBA Odds, Feb. 25

Mavericks vs. Lakers Prediction – Tuesday, Feb. 25

Based on the latest NBA betting lines, my favorite Mavericks vs. Lakers prediction is over 8.5 rebounds (-140) for Luka Dončić in a game where he’s motivated to send a message.

Since his minutes restriction was lifted, Dončić has recorded double-digit rebounds in back-to-back games. He leads the team with 18 rebound chances over that span, four more than any other player.

The Lakers only trust one center (Jaxson Hayes) for significant minutes, so they have relied on more small-ball lineups. That has led to more rebounding opportunities for Dončić, who has a knack for finding LeBron James in transition after grabbing the board.

Dallas has also been forced to use smaller lineups after losing all its centers to injury. The Mavs are last in the league in rebounds per game (40) since Anthony Davis was injured in his debut after being traded for Dončić.

I expect Dončić to clear 8.5 rebounds on Tuesday. I’ll also be interested in parlaying Dončić’s rebounds prop with the Lakers’ moneyline value when SGP markets become available.

Prediction: Luka Dončić over 8.5 rebounds (-140)