DALLAS MAVERICKS ?9.5 - Even with Shaq still out for the Lakers, the Mavericks are looking at this as a ?statement? game. The Lakers have absolutely dominated them over the years, going an unbelievable 32-3 S/U in the last 35 head-to-head meetings! Even last season, when the Mavs moved up into the elite class of the NBA, the Lakers took the season series 3-1. However, Dallas is now in a position to finally extract revenge in a big way. They are off to a club record 10-0 start, and they have won their home games by a whopping average of 17.3 points. Even their oft-maligned defense stepped up in the 4th quarter of their last game, limiting the defending Eastern Champion Nets in a tough come-from-behind road victory. The Lakers are a dreadful 3-7, losing to the likes of Houston and Atlanta on their home floor and Cleveland on the road. I just feel that they will have no answer for a motivated Dallas team tonight, and that the Mavs could easily open up a big early lead and never look back.
