Mavericks Trounce Kings as Sacramento’s Season Ends with a Whimper

The Kings just weren’t the same team since the trade deadline. While Sacramento battled hard, put up a late season push, and accumulated a lot of talent, they didn’t have the firepower or leadership they needed to sustain a postseason run. That was clear against the Mavericks.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

During their play-in game versus Dallas, everything fell apart at the wrong time. They didn’t hit the shots they needed, missed key defensive assignments, and got very little support from their role players.

That led to a very lopsided loss, and one of the most disappointing defeats in recent memory

The defeat felt like the culmination of what was an extremely inconsistent season. Sacramento had its moments along the way, but they weren’t built to beat better teams.

They looked lost in their final contest, and when things went south there was no one to pick up the pieces.

One Quarter, One Loss

All things considered, the game started out well for the Kings. They kept the Mavericks away from the rim, worked to get open shots, and ended the first quarter with a two point lead.

In front of their home crowd and with a bit of momentum, it seemed things could go their way.

However, it didn’t take long for everything to fall apart.

In one-and-done games, every possession matters

Shots need to go in, defense needs to be tight, and, most importantly, teams need to limit big runs. That’s where the Kings fell short.

They didn’t just let the Mavericks back in the game, they let them completely take over.

In a disastrous second quarter, the Mavericks’ talent outshined everything the Kings threw at them. They got every basket they wanted, forced Sacramento into bad possessions, and took a 23-point lead into the half.

While both teams came out of the locker rooms for the third quarter, the game was functionally over at that point

The visiting team cruised in the second half, allowing the Kings to win the last two quarters by five points and four points, before capping off a 120-106 win.

That loss sends the Kings home early for yet another season and gives the Mavericks another chance at life. They play the Grizzlies for the eighth seed on Friday night.

A Lack of Support

There were many reasons the Kings came up short, ranging from poor coaching to a weak bench, but ultimately the Mavericks were just a better team.

They have more talent and are much more ready to take on the playoffs than Sacramento.

As expected, their two x-factors were Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis

The pair had a huge night, taking over the game when the lights got the brightest. Thompson scored 23 points and grabbed five rebounds, while Davis put up 27 and nine.

DeMar DeRozan proved to be the only true shining star for the Kings. He scored 33 points alongside seven rebounds and two assists. Zach LaVine also put up 20 and Domantas Sabonis had 11 points and 13 rebounds.

On paper those stats seem even, but Dallas had a much better supporting cast.

The Kings ended the night with two players scoring over 20 and two over 10. In contrast, the Mavericks had five players reach double digits, with the top four putting up 27, 23, 17, and 17.

It was a much more varied attack, which created much more efficient offensive output

Sacramento has been prone to hero-ball since losing De’Aaron Fox. They tried that style of play again on Wednesday, but it didn’t amount to much of anything.

Their big three received no support, with usual spark plugs like Keon Ellis and Trey Lyles doing very little.

Their inability to back up the big three was a problem during the regular season, and it fittingly ended them when it mattered most.

A Grim Future

The Mavericks have a solid core with a lot of fight left in them. Dallas is not the most favored team going forward, and they could easily end their season against Memphis, but they have enough talent to push into the postseason and become a real threat.

Sacramento, on the other hand, is in flux. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2004, and that streak continues for another year.

It’s extremely disappointing, especially for a team who took the Warriors to seven games just two years ago.

They fired general manager Monte Mcnair immediately after the loss, and have no real direction going forward. They now have an interim coach who is unlikely to survive the offseason, a few aging stars, and a lack of superstar talent.

LaVine has the ability to put up big games, as does Sabonis

However, the Kings need to get them some real support if they want a chance at doing anything in the next few years. They do have a lot of upcoming draft picks, but there’s no telling if those will come to fruition.

It’s been a frustrating few years for Sacramento. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that frustration is going anywhere anytime soon.