DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks were defeated by the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night in an NBA Cup matchup, losing SCORE. With the defeat, the Mavs fall to 3-10 on the season while the Clippers are now 4-8 overall. Despite Dereck Lively II's return from injury, the Mavs were unable to overcome James Harden and LA. Harden led all scorers with POINTS while also recording REBOUNDS and ASSISTS.
“You gotta show your hands,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said of how to defend a star like Harden. “He's the best at drawing fouls. That's why he's one of the best in the world… He understands what he has to do, time to score. It's not always scoring the ball, but getting to the free throw line, that leads to scoring. He gets to his shot that he wants and that's the difference between great players and just average players. ”
Harden is still one of the best offensive players in the NBA at 36 years old. His ability to carve up a defense and make the right play causes headaches for opponents. He is capable of dropping 40 on any night, but he can also dish out assists with the best guards in the league. A game of around 30 points and 10 assists is certainly not a rarity for the Clippers star.
Kidd's defense simply had no answers for Harden throughout the game. If the Mavs sent a double-team, Harden made the right pass. If Dallas attempted one-on-one defense, the future Hall of Fame guard scored without too much trouble. Harden's efficiency — SHOOTING EFFICIENCY STATS — helps to tell the story.
The Clippers had other players who positively impacted the game, but Harden unquestionably set the tone. As a result, the Mavs were handed a third consecutive loss amid a frustrating beginning to the 2025-26 campaign.
The Mavericks play the final contest of their current four-game homestand on Sunday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM EST.
