The New Orleans Pelicans (2-13) visit the Dallas Mavericks (4-12) tonight for a Friday night matchup at the American Airlines Center in Dallas between two teams desperate for a win.

Both franchises have already made major changes — the Pelicans fired their head coach, and the Mavericks dismissed their GM — but neither shake-up has solved the on-court issues. New Orleans enters on a seven-game skid, while Dallas has dropped four of its last five.

The Mavericks did show some life on Wednesday, pushing the New York Knicks to the final possession despite playing without Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg. Naji Marshall and D’Angelo Russell poured in 23 points each off the bench, though Dallas hasn’t been able to count on that level of production consistently. Russell will miss tonight’s game with an illness, but Flagg returns to the rotation.

New Orleans, meanwhile, is in free fall, though their losing streak has come against a brutal stretch of schedule — matchups with the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets, most resulting in expected double-digit losses.

Zion Williamson returned on Wednesday in a competitive loss to Denver, and rookie Derik Queen delivered his best game as a pro with 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting.

His blend of athleticism, shooting touch, and downhill scoring continues to be a rare bright spot and could be the biggest long-term positive of this difficult season. The hope for the Pelicans is that Queen develops into a franchise cornerstone — and a much more durable one than Zion.

Prediction

This game could go either way, though Dallas has more capable veterans who’ll take the court tonight and is likely to lead them to victory. The Pelicans may keep it close or even steal the game if both Zion and Queen have strong nights.

Prediction: Mavericks 121, Pelicans 108

Injury Report

New Orleans Pelicans

Jordan Poole (G) — Out

Karlo Matković (F) — Out

Dejounte Murray (G) — Out

Dallas Mavericks

D’Angelo Russell (G) — Out

Dante Exum (G) — OFS

Anthony Davis (F) — Out

Kyrie Irving (G) — Out

How to Watch Pelicans vs. Mavericks

Tip-off for tonight’s New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks game is set for 8:30 PM Eastern / 7:30 PM Central at American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas. 

The game airs live locally on KFAA-TV and Gulf Coast Sports.

Out-of-market viewers can stream the matchup on NBA League Pass for free on Amazon Prime Video with a 7-day free trial here.

Amazon also offers a discounted subscription that starts at $12.74 for the first two months (then $16.99/month). The subscription also includes access to NBA TV.

Fans can also choose a Team Pass to follow one team’s games for $13.99 per month.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Dallas Mavericks

Date: Friday, November 21, 2025

Time: 8:30 PM Eastern / 7:30 PM Central

Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

TV: KFAA, Gulf Coast Sports

Streaming: NBA League Pass (out-of-market)