After falling to the New Orleans Pelicans in a crucial matchup with heavy playoff implications on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers’ postseason hopes are in jeopardy.
Holding just a one-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs with eight games remaining in the season, every game matters for the Lakers.
While LeBron James has been otherworldly this season, averaging 30.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game, he has also been shouldering a heavy workload down the home stretch.
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Will LeBron be able to suit up against the Mavericks and keep the Lakers in the playoff picture?
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Is LeBron James playing tonight vs. Mavericks?
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, LeBron is out for Tuesday’s matchup against the Mavericks with an ankle injury.
Lakers’ LeBron James (ankle sprain) will miss tonight’s game vs. Mavericks.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 29, 2022
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, considering after Sunday’s game, James said his ankle felt “horrible.”
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The Lakers are in danger of dropping out of the Play-In Tournament picture. They are 6-13 on the year in games where James doesn’t play and hold just a half-game lead over the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 10 seed with eight games to play.
What channel is Lakers vs. Mavericks on?
- TV channel (USA): TNT
- TV channel (Los Angeles): Spectrum SportsNet
- TV channel (Canada): TSN 1
- Stream (USA): TNTdrama.com | Sling TV
In the United States, Lakers vs. Mavericks will air nationally on TNT and can be streamed on TNTdrama.com, the Watch TNT app or Sling TV.
Viewers in the Lakers’ region can watch a local broadcast on Spectrum SportsNet.
In Canada, Lakers vs. 76ers will air nationally on TSN 1.
Lakers vs. Mavericks start time
- Date: Tuesday, March 29
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Lakers vs. Mavericks is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 29. The game will be played at Dallas’ American Airlines Center and will tip off shortly after the scheduled time.
Lakers schedule 2021-22
After playing in Dallas on Tuesday night, the Lakers will have seven games remaining in the 2021-22 regular season. LA cannot qualify for a top-six playoff spot but can qualify for the NBA’s Play-In Tournament, which will be held from April 12-15.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | National TV (US) | National TV (Canada) |
| March 29 | at Mavericks | 7:30 p.m. | TNT | TSN 1 |
| March 31 | at Jazz | 10 p.m. | TNT | SN One |
| April 1 | vs. Pelicans | 10:30 p.m. | NBA TV | SN One |
| April 3 | vs. Nuggets | 3:30 p.m. | ABC | — |
| April 5 | at Suns | 10:30 p.m. | NBA TV | SN 360 |
| April 7 | at Warriors | 10 p.m. | TNT | SN 360 |
| April 8 | vs. Thunder | 10:30 p.m. | — | SN One |
| April 10 | at Nuggets | TBD | — | NBA TV Canada |