Monday’s best game has the Dallas Mavericks visiting the Los Angeles Lakers in their first meeting since the Mavericks steamrolled the two-time defending champions in the playoffs – and went on to a title of their own.
Both teams have recovered from sputtering starts that began with nationally televised losses on Christmas Day. This game also is nationally televised by TNT.
Dallas has won five in a row and eight of 10 since losing its first three games. The Mavs appear to be figuring things out after losing Tyson Chandler, DeShawn Stevenson and J.J. Barea, all key components of their championship team.
One of the players brought in as a replacement is Lamar Odom, who demanded a trade from the Lakers after learning he was included in the nixed Chris Paul deal. He was dealt to Dallas for a trade exception but has been nowhere near his Sixth Man Award form of a season ago.
Odom is averaging 6.8 points and 5.0 rebounds this season – a far cry from last season’s 14.4 ppg and 8.7 rebounds. He also sounds a little homesick, saying, “It’ll be the first time I’ll go home to my house and have to play for another team…I mean, it is what it is.”
The Mavs will try to cool off white-hot Kobe Bryant, who has scored at least 40 points in four straight 
games and leads the NBA with 32 ppg. However, Bryant’s 42 points Saturday were not enough to as the Lakers lost to the crosstown Clippers, ending their own five-game run.
The Mavericks have lost 35 of their last 39 regular season games at the Staples Center. Of course, last year’s playoff sweep included two wins at LA.
Lakers point guard and leading bench scorer Steve Blake is out with a rib fracture, giving minutes to rookie Darius Morris.