NBA picks: Mavericks vs. Lakers prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for Wednesday, Jan. 17

It’s official; Doncic is playing in this contest. The Mavericks superstar makes his return to the court, and he’s impacted the betting line as a result. Dallas is now a 2-point underdog. We can assume James and Davis will suit up, but I still like Mavericks +2 as the ATS pick. The total is 245 and I’ll take the under, even with Doncic officially in the lineup.

The Dallas Mavericks (24-17) and Los Angeles Lakers (20-21) will meet in primetime action Wednesday with both teams hoping to make deep postseason runs this year. The Mavericks are the fifth seed at the moment, while the Lakers have the last spot in the play-in tournament. It’s the third meeting between these sides, with Dallas winning both previous contests.

Luka Doncic is listed as questionable, a sign he’s set to play after missing the last three games. Dante Exum remains out, while Grant Williams and Derrick Jones Jr. are probable. LeBron James is questionable and Anthony Davis is probable, but both are expected to play. Cam Reddish and Gabe Vincent are out for the Lakers.

The Lakers are 4-point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total sitting at 244. Los Angeles is -175 on the moneyline while Dallas is +145.

Mavericks vs. Lakers, 8:30 p.m. ET

Pick ATS: Mavericks +4

Even though the Lakers are significantly better at home than on the road, they are still just 8-12 ATS at Crypto.com Arena on the season. The Mavericks have done well on the road, going 12-7 ATS. Dallas won both meetings so far this season, and is set to get Doncic back in the lineup.

The Lakers are 4-6 in their last 10 games and despite a win over the Thunder Monday, they have covered the spread just twice in the last eight. Both covers occurred as the underdog. I like Dallas to cover in this contest.

Over/Under: Under 244

The Lakers have alternated between unders and overs in the last nine games, making it hard to find a betting trend. The Mavericks are 4-5 to the over in that same span. The meeting in Dallas between these teams went over this total, while the contest in Los Angeles went well under. I’ll split the difference towards the Lakers having more success defensively at home, which should push this game under the total.