The Lakers and Mavericks meet for the final time this tonight, with the purple and gold looking to take the season series from Dallas after wining two of their past three matchups against them. Both teams 
struggled while star players were out injured in recent weeks, the Lakers missing Pau Gasol and the Mavs without reigning MVP Dirk Nowitzki. However, Dallas especially missed the versatile forward, temporarily falling out of the Western Conference playoff standings in his absence.
The Mavs are riding a huge wave of momentum heading into tonight’s showdown after Nowitzki shocked the American Airlines Center crowd by suiting up against Golden State in Dallas’ last game only 11 days after he suffered a high ankle sprain that had many questioning whether or not he would return this season at all. While he was out, Josh Howard proved why he is one of the league’s best up-and-coming players, averaging almost 31 points a game.
In their last meeting, the Lakers won a thriller in Big D, blowing a 25 point second half lead before shattering the Mav’s comeback hopes in the final minute for an eventual 102-100 victory without Gasol. The Lakers won the previous meeting 108-104 at STAPLES Center in what was the two teams’ first time playing each other with Gasol and Jason Kidd in their respective lineups.
The Lakers will continue their reintegration of Gasol into the lineup tonight after a solid performance in his return from injury in L.A.’s victory over Portland two nights ago. The Mavs will similarly be looking to continue their upward surge, knowing full-well that every game is magnified this time of year with the Warriors and Nuggets nipping on their heels in the standings.
