In Dallas, the Sacramento Kings secured a decisive 122-98 victory over the Mavericks, bolstered by strong performances from Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, who scored 22 and 20 points respectively, before taking a rest for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Monday night’s game marked the fourth consecutive win for the Kings, while the Mavericks suffered their second straight loss and fourth in five games.
The Mavericks’ struggles were compounded when Kyrie Irving exited the game in the first quarter due to a left knee sprain sustained after an awkward landing following a foul during a drive to the basket. Remaining on the court for a few moments, Irving was assisted to the free-throw line, where he managed to make both shots, before heading to the locker room with aid.
Missing from the Kings’ lineup was Domantas Sabonis, the league’s top rebounder, who was absent due to a grade 1 strain of his left hamstring incurred in a recent victory against Houston. Expected to be sidelined for at least a week, Sabonis’ absence allowed Jonas Valanciunas, a new acquisition for the Kings as of February 5th, to make his first start. Valanciunas contributed with 14 points and nine rebounds over 23 minutes.
In the Mavericks’ efforts, Kai Jones, newly signed on a two-way contract to mitigate the impact of several injuries among their big men, achieved a personal best, leading the team with 21 points and nine rebounds. Unfortunately, Dallas faced additional setbacks when reserve guard Jaden Hardy left the game in the third quarter due to a right ankle sprain.
The Kings’ victory highlighted their prowess, enabling them to sweep the season series against the Mavericks and secure a standing tied in eighth place in the Western Conference, maintaining a one-game lead over Dallas. Notably, the Mavericks’ shooting was subpar, managing only seven 3-pointers from 25 attempts, slightly above their season’s lowest.
The Kings capitalized on their 10-point halftime lead by outscoring the Mavericks 34-16, including a dominant 21-2 run in the third quarter. The upcoming schedule sees both teams heading into challenging road games on Wednesday: the Kings will conclude a four-game road trip in Denver, while the Mavericks will journey to Milwaukee.
