PREVIEW: The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers will lock horns in Friday's marquee NBA Cup game at the Crypto.com Arena. It's a contest many would have circled on their calendars, particularly headliners like Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic, who swapped teams in a shocking trade nine months ago. The Mavericks hoped to be among the contenders 20 games into the season, but are now reeling near the lottery with a 4-15 record. Nevertheless, through all its shortcomings, Dallas has lived up to its hype as one of the best defenses, boasting the third-highest defensive rating at 110.3. After losing two of their first four, the Lakers have won 11 of their next 13 and are 13-4 ahead of Friday's contest. The Lakers are making a historic 62.1% on 2-pointers, 3.2% more than the record set by the Indiana Pacers in the 2023-24 season. LA's offense has been nuclear this year, with elite efficiency splits, especially inside the arc, where Dallas' defense has struggled, allowing 55.5 points per game in the paint. The Los Angeles Lakers are overwhelming favorites to win, with oddsmakers having them as 11-point favorites.