The Los Angeles Clippers head into Friday night’s contest on the road to face the Dallas Mavericks for the first time this season. Neither side is firing on all cylinders and they will try to turn things around in this important NBA Cup matchup in the Western Conference. Will the Clippers move to 2-0 in NBA Cup play, or will Dallas even their record at 1-1? Continue reading for my Clippers vs Mavericks prediction tonight.
Our Clippers vs Mavericks Pick
- Pick: Mavericks +2.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Pairing: Los Angeles Clippers @ Dallas Mavericks
- Date & Time: Friday, November 14, 2025, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
- The Clippers have been hit hard by injuries. Kawhi Leonard remains sidelined with a foot and ankle issue and is not expected to return imminently. Bradley Beal is out for the season with a fractured hip. Those absences have transformed Los Angeles on both ends of the floor and have required James Harden to do way too much.
- Los Angeles is averaging 109.5 points per game while allowing 115.5 points per game. Their offensive output has dropped and their defense has certainly suffered without Leonard on the floor to guard the other teams’ best players.
- The Mavericks are underperforming at home with a record of 2-6 in Dallas. They average 107.8 points per game and surrender 114.3 points per game for the season. Home-court advantage has not translated to consistent wins and the Mavs will try to change that in this matchup.
- This is an NBA Cup game, which means a little added pressure to win to help the chances of advancing to the next round. A win for the Clippers would take them to 2-0 in cup play, while the Mavs are 0-1 and would be all but eliminated with a loss tonight.
Head to Head & Betting Trends
- This is the first of four regular-season games that the Mavs and Clippers will play against each other this season.
- The Clippers are 1-10 against the spread this season. That is the worst record in the NBA against the spread this season.
- Dallas is 5-7 against the spread going into Friday night.
- The over has hit in 6 of the Clippers’ first 11 games.
- The under has cashed 8 times in 12 games for the Mavericks.
Best Player Props to Watch
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| James Harden | Over 24.5 points |
| Brandon Williams | Over 13.5 points |
Clippers vs Mavericks Model Projection
Score Projection: Clippers 112 – Mavericks 110
Win Probability: Clippers 52%, Mavericks 48%
Final Thoughts
I would understand if you want to stay far away from betting this game given how bad both of these teams have been both on and off the court this season. But I’m going to take the points with the Mavs in this game. The Clippers have struggled offensively without two of the top three contributors they thought they would have going into the season. The Mavs aren’t great to back right now either, but I think they will cover the spread as a home underdog tonight.
