Here is what you need to know before the Lakers tip-off their back-to-back against the Dallas Mavericks.
1) Lakers are surging
L.A. enters this matchup on a six-game winning streak, having capture its 30th win of the 37-game season on Tuesday.
That victory also capped off the Lakers’ third homestand sweep of the season, as L.A. held the Knicks to just 87 points — 45 fewer than their previous game. It should come as no surprise, as defense has lifted the purple and gold lately.
During this six-game swing, the Lakers rank third in the NBA in defensive rating (101.