Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (23-10) at Los Angeles Lakers (26-6)
The Los Angeles Lakers are where the Dallas Mavericks want to be, on top of the basketball world.
Without any question, the Lakers are the benchmark for success right now after claiming the NBA title a season ago, but the Mavericks have their eyes locked and glued on raising the Larry O'Brien Trophy above their heads this year. To do so, the Mavericks know they must first go through the Lakers to get to the golden ball. Dallas will get no better practice then Sunday night, as the two best teams in the Western Conference, record-wise, meet at the Staples Center for the second time this season.
"We feel like if we go out there and play the way we've been playing, play hard, get stops, get rebounds, we're capable of beating anybody," center Erick Dampier said.
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Mavericks have been in this position before, walking away from the Lakers' home floor with a 94-80 win over the defending champions on Oct. 30 in the first meeting between the two teams.
"We played really good basketball, but that was a long time ago. We've got a different team now in a lot of ways...They've had a chance to get used to each other and so have we," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.
Two things are different about this matchup. L.A. played without big man Pau Gasol (hamstring), while the Mavs' Josh Howard was sidelined after surgery to repair his left ankle in the offseason. Now both clubs are full strength, making the matchup that much more intriguing.
"Josh will be back with us, so we have a full squad, too," Dampier said. "They're a good team, we're a good team. It's who goes out there and gets the job done, and plays the best."
The Lakers have spent much of their early schedule at home, going 18-3 on their very own hardwood to capture the best record in the league.
"At this point in the season, watching the standings isn't that meaningful," Carlisle said. "Everyone is aware of the Lakers' schedule and their situation, but they are a great team and they're very talented."
Meanwhile Dallas has shown that playing in unfriendly environments is not a daunting task for one of the league's best road teams. Outplaying oppositions away from the nest has brought out the best in the Mavs, sporting a 12-5 road record coming into L.A. The Mavs have split the first two games of a three-game road trip, hoping to cap the stretch with a win Sunday.
"We've played really well on the road. It seems the more hostile the crowd is the better we play. I guess it kind of fuels us a little bit," forward Shawn Marion said.
(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
With their ability to take home crowds out of the game, the Mavericks will be able to focus in on shutting down arguably the league's best player and the frontrunner for this season's MVP award, Kobe Bryant. Bryant's 30.6 points per game scoring average is tops in the league, so too are his three buzzer-beaters. Slowing down the NBA's best swingmen has not been a problem for Dallas this season, having already held Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant to relatively quiet nights.
But the Mavericks certainly know what Bryant is capable of, and they don't want to see him live up to his potential before their very eyes on Sunday. Dallas will throw a swarming defense at Bryant, forcing the ball out of the premiere scorer's hands.
"Teams that play defense, if you look in the past, they all won championships," point guard Jason Kidd said. "That's what we're trying to achieve."
In a battle of the two best teams in the Western Conference, the Mavericks-Lakers matchup will air on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT.
Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Jan. 5 to host the Detroit Pistons. That game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.
Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
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