| MATCHUP | Cleveland Cavaliers | Dallas Mavericks |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 40-26 | 22-44 |
| Spread | -13.5 -112 | +13.5 -108 |
| Moneyline | -750 | +525 |
| Total | Over 236.5 (-115) | Under 236.5 (-105) |
| Where | American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX | |
| When | Friday, March 13, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:30 PM EDT | |
| TV | Prime Video | |
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Dallas Mavericks do battle at the American Airlines Center on Friday night. Here’s a Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Dallas Mavericks prediction. This article will include a Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Dallas Mavericks pick.
Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in decent shape, as they’ve won three of their last five games overall, but they will be hoping to bounce back in this spot after falling just short to the Magic in a 128-122 road defeat on Wednesday. James Harden led the team with 30 points and eight assists on 11 of 16 shooting, Donovan Mitchell added 25 points with five rebounds and five assists, Keon Ellis scored 20 points off the bench, and Evan Mobley tallied 18 points with 13 rebounds and four assists.
As a team, the Cavaliers shot 49 percent from the field and 17 of 44 from the 3-point line as they worked so hard to cut a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to just two points with 38.5 seconds left on the clock, before the Magic’s Desmond Bane drained a clutch 3-pointer with just 18.3 seconds left to send the Cavaliers packing.
Dallas Mavericks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks have been in a real slump, as they’ve lost 18 of their last 21 games overall, but they will be feeling much better after they snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 120-112 road win over the Grizzlies last night. Khris Middleton led the team with 35 points on 10 of 17 shooting off the bench, Daniel Gafford added 22 points with 14 rebounds, and Cooper Flagg and Max Christie each scored 13 points.
As a team, the Mavericks shot 48 percent from the field and 11 of 32 from the 3-point line as they set the tone with 34 points in the first quarter to jump out to a 20-point lead, which was more than enough to hold off the Grizzlies, who started to get on a roll before they ran out of time.
Why the Dallas Mavericks will win
- The underdogs have won three of the Cavaliers’ last four games at American Airlines Center.
- The Cavaliers have lost five of their last eight games as favorites when playing with a rest advantage.
- The Mavericks have covered the spread in each of their last six games on the second leg of a back-to-back against the Cavaliers.
- The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games when playing with a rest advantage.
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers will win
- The Mavericks have lost each of their last 12 games when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The Cavaliers have won each of their last seven games against Southwest Division opponents that held a losing record.
- The Mavericks have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games as underdogs when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The Cavaliers have covered the spread in each of their last four road games against the Mavericks.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Mavericks’ last eight games as underdogs has gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Cavaliers’ last five games as favorites against opponents who are on the second leg of a back-to-back have gone OVER the total points line.
Dallas Mavericks Player Facts
- Naji Marshall ranks 6th amongst qualified forwards for FG% (52.3%) this season.
- P.J. Washington ranks 9th in the Western Conference amongst qualified players for blocks per game (1.2) this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers Player Facts
- Jaylon Tyson ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for 3P% (45.5%) this season.
- James Harden ranks 4th amongst qualified players for assists per game (8.1) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Mavericks have used 37 different starting fives this season—the most in the league.
- The Mavericks rank 29th in the league for free throw percentage this season (74.4%).
- The Cavaliers rank 1st in the league for H2 points per game this season (60.8).
- The Cavaliers rank 1st in the league for Q4 win percentage this season (60.6%).
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction
The Cavaliers are still missing some players with Max Strus, Jarrett Allen and Tyrese Proctor all out, while the Mavericks have ruled out Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II, but they should have Klay Thompson back in action after being rested last night. These teams have yet to meet this season, but the Cavaliers enter as clear favorites, especially with the Mavericks playing this game on zero days’ rest.
Thompson should be ready to go after he sat out last night’s contest, but I don’t think it will be enough to hang with the Cavaliers, who should be able to bounce back with a win and cover on the road in this spot.