Inside Report: Lakers-Mavericks preview — West's No. 2 and No. 3 face off in Big D

Earl K. Sneed previews the Mavericks' Saturday night showdown with the two-defending champion L.A. Lakers, as both teams battle for the No. 2 seed in the West.

DALLAS — Although it has been their Southwest Division rival, the San Antonio Spurs, who have sprinted to the best record in the NBA to sit atop the Western Conference standings, it’s the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers the Mavericks say are the favorite to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy above their heads yet again in June.

But the Mavericks (47-18) are interested to see how they measure up in a head-to-head matchup with the reigning champs. And with the Mavs just 1 1/2 games ahead of the Lakers (46-20) for the No. 2 seed in the West’s playoff picture, Saturday night’s showdown between the two teams could serve as a statement game for both squads. The Mavericks just hope they’re the ones sending the more resounding message.

“That’s the defending champs, they don’t need to measure up to anybody,” Mavericks center Tyson Chandler said. “But any time you have an opportunity against a team of that caliber and you have the opportunity to get a full game then it’s always a huge game, and they’re gonna be thinking the same thing. They know they’re right behind us, they’re on our heels. They know a full game could help down the stretch, and we’re coming in with the same motive.”

“Every game is a statement game at this point,” forward Shawn Marion added. “And I think we’ve just got to be ready and go out and just play our game.”

The Mavericks haven’t conceded the title to neither the Lakers nor the Spurs, fighting to hold off the L.A. team for the No. 2 spot in the standings while also hoping to track down San Antonio for conference supremacy. And the Dallas team sees Saturday night as the perfect opportunity to further cement its place in the championship chase, as the Mavs plan to greet two-time Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and the Lakers with some southern hospitality when the L.A. squad comes to the American Airlines Center for the second time this season.

The Mavs were limping to a six-game losing skid the last time the Lakers came to Big D. But that all changed when the Mavericks sprinted to a 109-100 home victory at the Lakers’ expense on Jan. 19. That win coupled with the Lakers’ 94-88 defeat in Miami to bring an eight-game win streak to an end is why the Mavs are expecting the visiting team’s best effort. Still, the Mavericks will try to wrap up a stretch of five games in seven days in style, squaring off with their fourth playoff team during that span.

“This week has been full of tough challenges, and it doesn’t get any easier now. The Lakers just came off a loss in Miami, so you know they’re gonna be ready to play. Yeah, it should be another fun test,” forward Dirk Nowitzki said.

But in order for the Mavericks to claim a second win over the Lakers they know they will first have to play to their strengths, while also withstanding the daunting challenge of outdueling Bryant and his crew.

The Mavericks hope to display the depth and balance that figures to help the team compete with the defending champs if the two squads meet in the postseason, likely facing off in the second round if all goes to plan. And it’s the Mavs’ plan to also showcase the added length and size they picked up this offseason, trading for center Tyson Chandler and re-signing fellow 7-footer Brendan Haywood to help combat the Lakers’ three-headed monster of big bodies — Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom.

“They’re a really big team. With Bynum, Gasol and Lamar, that’s a really big frontline. So, we’re gonna need everybody to play big and use that paint on both ends of the floor,” Marion explained. “We match up with them pretty well, I think. We’re a very deep team and we’ve got some talented players on this team. We’ve just got to go out there and do it.”

The Mavericks did just that the last time the Lakers came into Dallas’ backyard. Now, the Mavs say they’ll be just as hyped to welcome in Bryant and the Lakers for an encore performance, hoping to move to 2-0 in the three-game season series while bringing an end to a grueling week.

“Kobe is one of, if not the best, players in the league, and you’ve got the two-time defending champs,” point guard Jason Kidd said. “So, if you can’t come and be ready to play, especially in the desperation mode that we are in, then you’ve got to leave it all on the floor.”

“It’s the defending champs coming in your building, so it’s a big deal,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle added. “To try and downplay it wouldn’t be being honest. It’s an important game.”

Note: The Mavs will be back in action Saturday night, hosting Kobe Bryant and the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Dallas team will try to move to 2-0 against the perennial Western Conference power in a game that will tip off at 8 p.m. CT, airing nationally on NBA TV and locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

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