Mavericks Win Shows There’s Still Hope in Sacramento

One win does not a season make, but there are times where it can signal something greater. That’s certainly the case for the Kings, who managed to snap their six-game losing streak against the Mavericks on Monday night.

Though the game is rather meaningless in the grand scheme of things, especially due to the fact that Dallas didn’t have Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, or Klay Thompson, it’s a huge boost for a team reeling in the wake of the recent Mike Brown firing.

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The franchise had many questions before losing their head coach, and plenty more arose after the move. Fans wondered how the players would respond, if they would be able to play for interim coach Doug Christie, and whether or not they still had fight left in them.

They answered those against Dallas.

A Complete Game

The Kings started the game off in the same way they’ve started off many recent contests, by falling behind. Even with their injuries, the Mavericks came out to a 37-23 lead after the first quarter. That could have completely broken Sacramento, but for the first time in a while they showed some resolve.

The team held Dallas to 40 points in the second half, played strong defense, and used a big third quarter to end the game 110-100. They also caused 17 turnovers, which they then transformed into 25 points.

That game might not be the most impressive win against the most impressive opponent, but the Kings played solid team basketball for the first time in two weeks. They got out in transition, ran the floor, and did a great job of moving the ball around the floor as well.

Their tight defense was particularly impressive, as it showed they have the ability to play two way basketball and keep opponents on their heels. They have a lot of speed on their roster, but the Dallas game was one of the first times they utilized it.

As always, their stars showed up too. Domantas Sabonis put up 17 points and 16 rebounds, while De’Aaron Fox ended with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. The pair are still the core of the team, and a reason they still have hope going forward.

Looking Ahead

The Kings are currently 14-19 and twelfth in the Western Conference. They have a long way to go if they want to return to the playoff picture, and it’s going to take a lot more than just one win to get them back into the conversations. But they have to start somewhere.

It would be easy to completely collapse without Brown on the sidelines. Coaching changes are always destabilizing, especially for teams on the downward swing. That’s especially true given all of the recent grumblings that Fox might want out if the Kings don’t turn it around.

Though many believed a lot of that contention came from Mike Brown, the star guard was quick to shut down any rumors about their relationship. He maintains the two had a great rapport on and off the court.

“I feel like there’s this perception that people thought we were at odds,” the guard explained to ESPN. “You can ask anybody in this organization: met and Mike have never even had an argument. We could disagree with something. We talked about it and it was gone.”

Regardless of how Fox felt, the Mavericks game shows his all-star level play isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. That’s all the Kings needed to see.

One Win at a Time

Fox’s high-level play is one part of the puzzle, but the win itself matters much more. Everyone in the locker room felt better after ending their losing streak, especially Kevin Huerter. The guard’s post-game conference showed just how much the win meant to the team.

“Sometimes just a chance of energy is all you need,” he explained. “It’s not like the rest of that season in Atlanta we changed everything we were doing X’s and O’s. There was just an energy shift and we’ll see if a similar thing can happen here”

The guard is referring to the 2020-21 Hawks season where the team fired their coach Lloyd Pierce 34 games into the season before turning it around. They proceeded to go 27-11 and made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.

While it’s too early to tell if the Kings (1-1 under Christie) have a similar run in their future, there’s no doubt that hope now exists where there was none before. Sometimes, that’s enough.