Purchase Lakers Vs Mavs Tickets today.
GAME: L.A. Lakers Lakers (26-13) at Dallas Mavericks (32-8) DATE/TIME: Thursday, January 18 - 9:30 PM EST SPREAD: Dallas -10 TOTAL: 206

The Dallas Mavs own the NBA's best record after losing just once one in their last 19 games - to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dallas (32-8) will try to reverse the result of that setback and win a sixth straight game when the two teams meet Thursday night in Texas.

Since opening the season with four straight losses, Dallas Mavericks is 32-4. The 101-98 defeat in Los Angeles on Jan. 7 snapped a season-best 13-game winning streak. The Mavericks do also have a win over the Lakers this season - 110-101 at home on Dec. 13.

Earlier this month, the Mavericks allowed the Lakers to shoot 54.9 percent from the field, the best mark by any Dallas opponent this season. Kobe Bryant had 26 points and Sasha Vujacic scored a career-high 16 for the Lakers, who outscored the Mavericks 33-21 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

Despite Dallas' impressive first half of the season, the team knows there is room to improve.

"We may get away with stuff now, but we know we're going to have to step it up a level in the playoffs," guard Devin Harris said. "Nothing is won in the regular season. It's about getting better."

Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the loss at Los Angeles. He's been even better in his last three contests, averaging 37.0 points and 11.0 boards.

He had 30 points and 10 rebounds in a 109-96 win over Houston on Tuesday as the Mavericks won their 11th straight at home to improve to 18-3 at American Airlines Center.

"There are a lot of guys that are playing on an MVP level," Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. "But what (Nowitzki's) doing night in and night out, I wouldn't take anybody else over him."

The Lakers (26-13) will try to match their season high with a fourth straight win Thursday. They have also won seven of their last nine games.

A victory in this matchup would improve the Lakers to 9-9 away from home, compared with 18-4 this season at the Staples Center. Los Angeles avoided its second consecutive road loss by holding on for a 100-96 win over San Antonio on Thursday in the front end of its back-to-back in Texas.

Kobe Bryant scored only three points in the first quarter, but regrouped to hit the go-ahead basket with 1:24 left in the game and finished with 34 points on 12-for-19 shooting. He topped the 30-point mark for the first time since Jan. 4, when he scored 42 in a 132-128 overtime win at Sacramento.

"I had to set the tempo for the ballclub," Bryant said. "If I started griping with the officials right off the bat, it could create a domino effect for everyone else. ... I had to relax, let it go down, sit on the bench, sit on my hands and wait until the second quarter."

Bryant, who averages 28.1 points per game, was the only Lakers starter to score more than eight, two days after all five starters reached double figures in a 124-118 overtime victory over Miami.

Los Angeles' bench did help out Wednesday, with Vladimir Radmanovic scoring 13 points and Maurice Evans adding 11 as the Lakers reserves outscored the Spurs bench 37-21.

"It is a good win, you can't take that away from us," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "But we can do better."

The Lakers have lost their last two games at American Airlines Center.

To purchase Mavs Lakers tickets go to Mavericktickets.com

Lakers vs Mavs news
Dallas 108, L.A. Lakers 72 03/11/07
Lakers Mavs Preview 03/11/07
Lakers 95, Mavs 114 01/18/07
Lakers Mavs Preview 01/18/07
Mavs 98, Lakers 101 01/07/06
Lakers Mavs Preview 1/09/07
Lakers Mavericks 12/13/06

Sports Prospects
Chris Leak
Chris Leak began his career at Florida as a freshman, seeing playing time in the first few games, and took over as the starter in the game against Kentucky. Chris Leak finished his freshman year with a Southeastern Conference record for a freshman going 6-3 as a starter including wins over Louisiana State and rival Georgia. Chris Leak was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and Rivals.com's Freshman All American Team.

Sports Prospects
John David Booty
John Booty(born January 3, 1985 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is the starting quarterback of University of Southern California (USC) football team. He is called "John David" Booty because his father's name is John Booty.
John David Booty prepped at the Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport but left a year early after his father/Quarterbacks Coach left the staff (he already had enough credits to graduate). Despite leaving after his junior year, John David Booty threw for 8,474 yards on 555 of 864 attempts (64.2%) with 88 touchdowns and 26 interceptions.

•Finals Game 6 Preview: Celtics vs. Lakers
•Finals Game 4 Preview: Celtics vs. Lakers
•Finals Game 3 Preview: Celtics vs. Lakers
•Finals Game 1 Preview: Celtics vs. Lakers
•Game 5 Preview: Spurs vs. Lakers
•Game 4 Preview: Spurs vs. Lakers
•Game 2 Preview: Spurs vs. Lakers
•Game 1 Preview: Spurs vs. Lakers
•Game 5 Preview: Jazz vs. Lakers
•Game 2 Preview: Jazz vs. Lakers
•Game 3 Preview: Nuggets vs. Lakers
•Game 2 Preview: Nuggets vs. Lakers
•Preview: Kings vs. Lakers
•Preview: Clippers vs. Lakers
•Preview: Grizzlies vs. Lakers
•Preview: Bobcats vs. Lakers
•Preview: Warriors vs. Lakers
•Preview: Mavericks vs. Lakers
•Preview: Raptors vs. Lakers
•Preview: Clippers vs. Lakers
•Preview: Heat vs. Lakers
•Preview: Suns vs. Lakers
•Preview: Timberwolves vs. Lakers
•Preview: Bobcats vs. Lakers
•Preview: Heat vs. Lakers
•Preview: Hawks vs. Lakers
•Preview: Pistons vs. Lakers
•Preview: Knicks vs. Lakers
•Preview: Mavericks vs. Lakers
•Preview: Spurs vs. Lakers
•Preview: Nuggets vs. Lakers
•Lakers Head to Seattle Without Injured Bynum
•Preview: Bucks vs. Lakers
•Preview: Grizzlies vs. Lakers
•Preview: 76ers vs. Lakers
•Preview: 76ers vs. Lakers
•Preview: Cavaliers vs. Lakers
•Preview: Bulls vs. Lakers
•Preview: Warriors vs. Lakers
•Preview: Spurs vs. Lakers
•Preview: Nuggets vs Lakers 12/05/07
•Preview: Timberwolves vs Lakers 12/04/07
•Preview: Nuggets vs Lakers 11/29/07
•Preview: Sonics vs Lakers 11/27/07
•Spurs vs Lakers Preview 11/13/07
•Preview: New Orleans Hornets at L.A. Lakers
•Lakers vs Rockets Preview 12/12/06
•Lakers vs Spurs Preview 12/10/06
•Lakers Vs Hawks Preview 12/08/06
•Lakers Vs Pacers 12/04/06
•Lakers Vs Clippers Preview 12/02/06
•Lakers vs Jazz Preview 11-30-06
•Lakers vs Bucks preview 11/28/06
•Lakers vs Nets preview 11/26/06
•Lakers vs Jazz preview 11/24/06
•Lakers vs Clippers preview 11/21/06
•Lakers vs Bulls preview 11/18/06
•Lakers Vs Raptors Preview
•Lakers Vs Pistons Preview
•Lakers Vs Grizzlies Preview
•Lakers Vs Pistons Preview
•Timberwolves Vs Lakers Preview
•Lakers Vs SuperSonics Preview
• Lakers Vs SuperSonics Preview
• Lakers Vs Warriors Preview
• Lakers Vs Suns Preview

Jordan Farmar news:
•Rookie Farmar says he's living Hollywood dream with Lakers
• Grizzlies challenge Farmar
• Stars come out at Camp
• NBA considerations distant memory for pair of eager Cats

Kobe Bryant news:
•Kobe Bryant apologizes to Lakers GM
•Kobe Bryant Wins Scoring Title
•Kobe has most popular jersey in USA, China
•Bryant Proves the Best
•Wade beats Bryant for another Skills Challenge win
•Memorabilia Offered by Kobe Bryant and Upper Deck
•Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant Suspended
•Why did Kobe change to 24?
•Kobe Bryant: Won't Play This Week
•Kobe Bryant to Collab with Lil Wayne
•Lakers' Kobe Bryant ready for another run as NBA season nears
•Kobe Bryant Dunk Videos
•Kobe Bryant Videos
•Kobe Bryant Scores the Cover of NBA '07 for PlayStation
•Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant Scores the Cover of NBA '07

Los Angeles news:
• Los Angeles news
•Los Angeles Concerts news
• Beckham Signs with Los Angeles Galaxy
• Top 10 Most Valuable NBA Franchise
• 10 Ten things to do in Los Angeles
• Lower back spasms from the court.
• Top 10 Los Angeles Restaurants.
• Top 10 Los Angeles Experiences

JR Pinnock news:
• Lakers sign JR Pinnock

Smush Parker news:
• Smush Parker Basketball Camp

Staples Center news:
•Get up to the minute Los Angeles Concert tour news
•Garth Brooks To Play Staples Center Benefit Shows For Fire Victims
•Bon Jovi Staples Center
•Van Halen Staples Center Dec 14th
•Wild try to continue hot start in LA
•Hyundai Returns to X Games 13 Rally Car Racing
• Rumorville Eric Clapton to play the Staples Center
• Grady Brewer wins 'Contender 2' in a split decision over Steve Forbes
• Cirque comes the LA Staples Center

Phil Jackson news:
• Lakers coach Jackson fined US$25,000
• Phil Jackson to have hip surgery