Venue and Event Overview
The Dallas Mavericks (5-15) tangle with the Los Angeles Clippers (5-14) in a bottom-of-the-West slugfest at Intuit Dome, where both Pacific Division cellar-dwellers battle for breathing room amid brutal early-season skids. Dallas, reeling from three straight losses and dead last in the conference, desperately needs a road win to spark life into their offense (No. 24 in rating at 108.2 points per 100 possessions), testing it against the Clippers’ opportunistic transition game (No. 15 in fast-break points at 14.6 PPG). For the Clippers, mired in a four-game slide but buoyed by home cooking (3-6 at Intuit Dome), Kawhi Leonard’s potential return could exploit Dallas’ defensive lapses (No. 27 in opponent FG% at 47.8). This matchup evokes last season’s playoff drama but with higher lottery stakes, promising a gritty, low-scoring grind focused on rebounding and paint protection.
Tipoff: 9:30 PM ET (6:30 PM PT / 7:30 PM CT). Tip-off on NBA TV, with local coverage on Bally Sports SoCal (LAC) and Bally Sports Southwest (DAL). Streaming via NBA League Pass and FuboTV; pre-game at 9:00 PM ET.
Injury Report
Injuries ravage both rosters, with Dallas’ star duo questionable and the Clippers missing Leonard, creating a parity of pain points.
Dallas Mavericks:
Luka Dončić (PG, QUESTIONABLE – Right Ankle Sprain): Franchise cornerstone (33.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 9.8 APG) rolled his ankle in the November 27 loss to the Lakers and is a game-time decision after limited practice; if out, Kyrie Irving’s usage spikes to 35% (team -11.2 net rating without Luka).
Kyrie Irving (PG/SG, PROBABLE – Left Shoulder Impingement): Co-star (25.6 PPG, 5.2 APG) missed one game but practiced fully; expected 32+ minutes.
Dereck Lively II (C, OUT – Left Knee Soreness): Rookie big (8.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG) out 1-2 weeks; frontcourt thin.
Maxi Kleber (PF, OUT – Right Foot Stress Reaction): Stretch-four (6.4 PPG) sidelined indefinitely; spacing hit.
Dwight Powell (C, OUT – Shoulder Strain): Veteran backup unavailable.
Los Angeles Clippers:
Kawhi Leonard (SF, OUT – Right Knee Management): Load-managed star (23.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG) ruled out for rest/injury prevention, his third missed game this month; Clippers -7.4 net rating without him.
Paul George (SF, OUT – Left Shoulder Strain): All-Star wing (22.6 PPG, 39% from three) out since November 20, re-eval December 5; perimeter scoring gutted.
Mo Bamba (C, QUESTIONABLE – Back Spasms): Backup big (6.2 PPG, 1.8 BPG) day-to-day after missing two games.
Terance Mann (SG, PROBABLE – Calf Strain): 3-and-D guard (8.4 PPG) probable after limited practice.
James Harden (PG, AVAILABLE): Fully cleared; no restrictions.
Clippers’ absences project a -9.1 net rating disadvantage; Mavericks without Dončić: -8.6.
Team Recent Forms
Dallas Mavericks:
Strengths: Backcourt firepower when healthy (No. 10 in assists at 26.2 per game); opportunistic steals (No. 12 in opponent turnovers at 14.8).
Weaknesses: Dismal defense (No. 27, 115.8 allowed) and rebounding (-3.4 margin, No. 25); 1-10 vs. .500+ teams.
Recent Form (Last 5 Games: 1-4): L 115-110 vs. LAL (Nov 27, Irving 28 pts in defeat); L 112-105 at SAC (Nov 25, poor shooting); W 110-102 vs. POR (Nov 23, team effort); L 118-110 at GSW (Nov 21, collapse); L 123-116 vs. UTA (Nov 19, defensive woes). Mavericks 1-4 in November, averaging 109.6 PPG (down 4.8 from October), on a three-game skid.
Los Angeles Clippers:
Strengths: Gritty half-court (No. 15 offense at 110.8 rating) via Harden’s creation; solid paint D (No. 11 in opponent FG% at 45.2).
Weaknesses: Inconsistent three-point shooting (35.4%, No. 21) and turnover machine (14.6 per game, No. 24).
Recent Form (Last 5 Games: 0-5): L 110-105 vs. SAC (Nov 27, Harden 22 pts); L 112-100 vs. HOU (Nov 25, Leonard out); L 114-92 vs. OKC (Nov 23, poor rebounding); L 110-102 vs. MIN (Nov 21, collapse); L 105-98 at LAL (Nov 19, George absence). Clippers 0-5 in November, averaging 107.2 PPG (down 5.6 from October), on a four-game slide.
Mavericks’ desperation edges 52% win probability; Clippers’ home splits offer faint hope.
Series History
The Clippers lead the all-time series 79-70 (53% win rate) in 149 regular-season meetings since 1970, including a 41-34 edge in Los Angeles (54.7%). The Clippers have won three of the last five: 110-105 on October 25, 2025; 112-100 on March 15, 2025; 114-92 on January 28, 2025; with Dallas’ wins 118-110 on November 22, 2025, and 123-116 on November 19, 2025. Average score in last five: Clippers 111.6-109.2 (Over in 3/5). Trend: Home Clippers cover in 4/5; Mavericks 2-3 ATS as road underdogs last five.
Key Player Matchups
Kyrie Irving (DAL, probable) vs. James Harden (LAC): Irving’s burst (25.6 PPG, 5.2 APG) vs. Harden’s savvy (18.4 PPG, 8.2 APG); guard creation. Edge: Irving scoring.
Klay Thompson (DAL) vs. Norman Powell (LAC): Thompson’s shooting (18.2 PPG, 41% from three) vs. Powell’s pop (15.6 PPG); wing scoring. Edge: Thompson volume.
Daniel Gafford (DAL) vs. Ivica Zubac (LAC): Gafford’s athleticism (11.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG) vs. Zubac’s efficiency (12.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG); paint battle. Edge: Zubac rebounding.
P.J. Washington (DAL) vs. Derrick Jones Jr. (LAC): Washington’s versatility (10.8 PPG, 1.2 BPG) vs. Jones’ D (8.4 PPG, 1.4 SPG); forward duel. Edge: Washington.
Bench: Mavericks’ Depth vs. Clippers’ Grit: DAL +1.8 bench net vs. LAC -2.4; Irving’s minutes vs. Powell’s spark.
Focus: Harden’s usage (30.4%) vs. Dallas’ No. 16 opponent assists (25.8); Clippers’ paint D vs. Mavericks’ drives.
Betting Trends
Trends: LAC 3-2 ATS home; DAL 2-3 ATS road. Last 5 H2H: Under hit 3/5 (avg. 219.4 points). Irving O24.5 pts (-115) hit 7/10.
Game Odds
Dallas Mavericks 222.5
Los Angeles Clippers – 7
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, November 28, 2025
