The Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks are locked in a tight battle to reach the NBA Play-Offs as the regular season enters its final week and one is enjoying a better run to the finish line than the other.
Both are contesting the Western Conference and an intriguing final seven days of the season awaits. The Lakers beat basement boys the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, while the Mavericks lost a third game in a row and have three tough fixtures coming up this week, with meetings against the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs scheduled to take place.
There are three teams in between the Lakers, who are up to seventh, and the Mavericks who sit 11th. The Lakers boast a record of 40-38 and boast a PCT of .513, while the Mavericks are lagging behind on 37-42 and .468.
