SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pressure does funny things to teams, and on Wednesday night at Golden 1 Center, the Sacramento Kings found themselves reeling under the weight of it.
For the second consecutive season, the Kings’ campaign ended not by lighting a beam but by facing the crushing finality of another play-in exit. The Dallas Mavericks rose to the occasion, pulling off a stunning and convincing 120-106 upset over the Kings to keep their season alive. The win sends Dallas into a date with Memphis on Friday for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot.
Here are key takeaways from a surprising night in Sacramento:
The Mavericks played a perfect game at the perfect time
Call it peaking at the right moment. The Mavericks played like a team with its back against the wall — but also like a group that knew exactly who it was. Amid mounting front-office scrutiny, Dallas put together a textbook performance, shooting 49.4% from the field, hitting 14-of-28 from deep and converting 92.3% of its 26 free throws. It was an all-around great effort from every Maverick who stepped on the court, starting with Anthony Davis leading the way with 27 points and nine rebounds to reserve guard Brandon Williams, who dropped 17 points with five assists in only 18 minutes.
The Mavs had 29 assists to just 10 turnovers. Their bench contributed 39 points compared to only 20 for Sacramento. This wasn’t just a good game for the Mavericks; it was a clinic on execution when it mattered most.
Defensively, Dallas’ length, size and physicality were too much for Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine, who shot 41% from the field (13-of-32) and combined for 10 turnovers. Even Jason Kidd’s decision to start a group that had only 37 total possessions together proved to be right, and it ended up being his most utilized unit in the victory.
Every Kings bucket felt labored, and the electric crowd couldn’t ignite a Kings team that seemed to wilt as the night wore on — thanks to a near-perfect game from a team written off by most.
The second-quarter collapse that set the tone
It’s hard to pinpoint one moment in a loss this significant, but the second quarter stands out as the unraveling. The Kings coughed up the ball 10 times in those 12 minutes, scoring just 19 points and surrendering 44 points to Dallas. From that point forward, the Mavs had a comfortable lead they never relinquished. Doug Christie’s pregame philosophy of segmented clock management was nowhere to be found as the Kings looked hurried, rattled even, under Dallas’ pressure and defensive adjustments.
Every bad pass and every forced jumper felt compounded by the Mavericks’ composure. Here’s how that quarter stacked up for Sacramento for the year:
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10 turnovers: The most in a quarter.
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44 points: The fourth-most points allowed in a quarter.
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19 points: The second-fewest points scored in the second quarter.
What made the second quarter worse was Klay Thompson looking like his old self, pacing the Mavs with 16 points (5-of-5 FG, 4-of-4 3PT, 2-of-2 FT) with three rebounds and a steal in the stanza. Talk about a redemption arc. Thompson shot 0-of-10 in last year’s play-in loss for Golden State, so seeing him come alive was a much-needed lift for the Mavs.
Third-quarter free-throw disparity
In what I would consider a pretty loosely officiated contest, the whistles did favor the road team — an unexpected outcome considering what I witnessed at the Chase Center on Tuesday night.
Whatever momentum Sacramento had coming out of halftime was thwarted by frequent foul calls. No disrespect to the Mavs — they wisely attacked the rim and drew contact as much as possible. However, there was a glaring gap in free throws.
Dallas ended up shooting 26 free throws compared to 15 for the Kings. In the third quarter, the Mavs attempted 14 free throws (making 13), almost matching the Kings’ total for the game. It’s hard to win when the other team lives at the line and you don’t. The Mavericks’ aggressiveness wasn’t just a statistical victory; it set the tone physically, preventing Sacramento from making a comeback.
Domantas Sabonis, M.I.A.
It’s hard to overcome an off night from your centerpiece, especially in a win-or-go-home setting. The engine that propels the Kings sputtered at the worst possible time.
The first half was terrible for Sabonis, who contributed a mere five points on 2-of-8 shooting, pairing those struggles with four turnovers. He finished the game with an 11/13/5 line, but the game was mostly out of hand by the time he got it together. On top of the offensive woes, Sabonis also had trouble defending, as the Mavericks had him frequently on his heels. The Mavs wisely hunted Sabonis, shooting a team-high 19 shot attempts against him and converting 10.
Sabonis’ frustrations mirrored the team’s larger issues. When defenses clamp down, Sacramento needs more from its stars. But in this all-important moment, the well ran dry. Would things have been different if Malik Monk were active? Maybe. Probably. Either way, someone other than mid-range aficionado DeMar DeRozan (33 points) needed to spark some scoring. Keegan Murray (nine points) had another signature disappearing act and the bench did little to turn things around offensively.
Another missed opportunity for the Kings
The loss wasn’t just about Sacramento’s bad night at the office. It felt bigger, a harsh mirror held up to a franchise desperately trying to cement its place as a contender.
After two straight play-in failures, the questions will grow louder. What’s missing? What needs to be fixed? Well, another domino fell, as Kings general manager Monte McNair agreed to part ways following the loss. Who knows what’s next in what should be an interesting offseason for a middling squad of mediocrity?
For now, the beam stays off, while the Mavericks march on to Memphis.
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