The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks have met three times this year, giving us exciting basketball games when three of the best players in the league take the same floor.

On Friday night, the teams meet for their fourth and final regular season meeting of the 2019-20 season. The Lakers took the first game 119-110 in OT on November 1. A month later on December 1, the Mavericks evened the series with a 114-100 win. Most recently, the Lakers outlasted Dallas 108-95 on December 29.

Hopefully the fourth round can deliver a great game in the national spotlight: but the status of Los Angeles two biggest stars remains a question mark.

LeBron James is all but certain to play, listed as probable. He played against the New York Knicks on Tuesday despite an illness, putting up 31 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds in 31 minutes.

Anthony Davis, the team’s leading scorer, hurt his back against the Knicks in the third quarter of that same game. MRI results came back negative, providing a sigh of relief for Lakers fans. Davis is listed as questionable, but given his injury history, it may be wise to wait and ease him back into play if he’s not 100%.

After all, it is just a regular season game. It’s a high octane matchup and one that will bring bragging rights if the Lakers can secure the season series. But at the end of the day, the Lakers sit atop the Western Conference, and the Mavericks in 7th. Los Angeles shouldn’t rush Davis back to the court if he’ll be susceptible to any further injury.

The Lakers and Mavericks meet in Dallas on Friday night on ESPN (9:45 PM ET / 8:45 PM CT.)

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