Here is what you need to know before the Lakers go head-to-head with the Dallas Mavericks.
1)
Jeremy Lin is expected to miss his third straight game due to a sore left knee. Starting in Lin’s stead, Jabari Brown has put together 11- and 20-point efforts, shooting 3-for-12 against Denver Wednesday and 6-for-14 versus Minnesota Friday.
2)
Tarik Black has hit his stride over the last two weeks. During this stretch, he is averaging 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds, while leading the league in field goal percentage (71.7) by going 33-for-46.
3)
Dallas has won a franchise-record six straight games against the Lakers, last losing on April 2, 2013. The Mavericks have scored in triple figures during each of these contests, while L.A. has done so only twice. This proficiency on both ends has given Dallas an average margin of victory of 14.3 points.
4)
Monta Ellis (19.2 ppg) has taken over for Dirk Nowtizki as Dallas’ leading scorer. In his last game against the Lakers on March 8, Ellis went off for 31 points on 12-for-22 shooting. The Jackson, Mississippi, native exploded in the third quarter, scoring 18 points to keep his team close enough for its fourth-quarter comeback.
5)
Despite no longer being Dallas’ top scorer, Nowitzki is still one of the league’s best shooters. The 17-year veteran is shooting a league-best 51.9 percent off screens, while ranking eighth in free throw percentage (87.9). Nowitzki is also second among bigs in 3-point percentage (37.9), and places second overall in catch-and-shoot scoring (8.0).
Dirk Nowitzki Shot Chart
6)
Tyson Chandler is shooting 66.0 percent from the field, which would be the second-best mark in the NBA if he made enough baskets to qualify. However, Chandler is already on a more prestigious list, as he currently ranks second in league history in career field goal percentage (59.1), behind Artis Gilmore (59.9) and ahead of Shaquille O’Neal (58.2).
7)
Since acquiring four-time all-star Rajon Rondo, Dallas’ offense has gone from a league-best 110.1 points per game to 102.5 points, which places 10th in the league. The Mavericks’ field goal percentage has also fallen from 48.1 percent (first) to 45.3 percent (11th).
8)
Dallas loves getting to the hoop, as it ranks second in drives (32.3). The Mavericks have also been efficient with their trips to the rim, averaging the most team points (35.5) and second-most individual points (19.9) on drives.
9)
One of Dallas’ main weaknesses is on the glass, where it is being outrebounded by an NBA-worst 4.2 boards per game. The Mavericks are also allowing their opponents to grab the most offensive rebounds (11.5) and the second-most total (46.3).
10)
Unlike the Lakers, who have missed 318 combined games due to injury, Dallas has maintained health through the majority of the season. The Mavericks have missed only 76 contests, 30 of which can be attributed to Raymond Felton alone.