Play-In Game Preview: Kings vs. Mavericks

The NBA playoffs are about to get into full swing, but before that happens the play-in games need to finish. The Grizzlies and Warriors both had their battle in the West.

Now, it's the Kings’ turn. They play the Mavericks on Wednesday night for a chance to fight for the eighth seed.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Where the Warriors and Grizzlies both had great years, Sacramento and Dallas weren’t so fortunate. They each ended up below .500 and didn’t have a ton of consistency down the stretch.

They took the ninth and tenth seeds, but fell for different reasons

The Kings traded away star point guard De’Aaron Fox and took a while to figure things out with their new roster and rotation.

The Mavericks had plenty of talent, even after trading away Luke Doncic, but injuries kept them from ever being at full strength.

Both teams have flaws and weaknesses. The winner will likely be the one who can cut down on their mistakes.

Two Ends of the Spectrum

The Kings and Mavericks should make for an interesting matchup because both teams play distinctly different styles of basketball.

Sacramento tries to run their opponents off the floor at the expense of their defense, while the Mavericks prefer a much slower, grinder contest.

That juxtaposition means both teams are going to do whatever they can to play their game

The Kings need to get out and score early and often, while the Mavericks want to play hard from tip-off and force Sacramento into tough shots.

Things might get tight down the stretch, but if the Kings can find ways to score during the early part of the game it could open up their second half and allow them to play much looser.

That could then lead to even more baskets and put things out of reach.

In contrast, if the Mavericks clamp down, read the Kings, and force the opposing role players to beat them, things could get ugly for Sacramento.

The Mavericks don’t have a ton of offensive output, especially with the loss of Kyrie Irving. Despite that, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson can take over games if left to their own devices.

The Power of Heroball

The Kings have a decent amount of talent on their roster, but they are a streaky team. If one of their top players gets hot and goes off, they have a chance against just about anyone.

If they don’t get that production, they’re usually in for a lackluster night

That shows, while the Kings certainly have a path to victory over Dallas, they are also quite vulnerable if things don’t line up.

They might be able to weather a bad game in a seven game series, but they have no such luxury in a one-and-done.

Zach LaVine (22.4 points per game), DeMar DeRozan (22.2 points per game) and Domantas Sabonis (19.1 points per game) can all shoot opposing teams out of the gym.

They also can go cold at the wrong time and bring the team down with them

One of them must have a big night if Sacramento wants to take down Dallas. That goes double due to the fact that the Kings are without solid role player Malik Monk.

The bench production simply isn’t there, which puts even more pressure on the starters to keep things afloat.

A Game of Rebounds

Perhaps the most interesting battle of the night will be down on the block. Davis is one of the best centers in the NBA. He can rebound, play tight defense, and score in droves.

He also has the ability to pop out to the three line and stretch the floor when needed

The Kings aren’t defenseless down low, however. Domantas Sabonis is also an incredible player who can pass, score, and defend at all stages.

He’s much quicker than his size suggests, and is more than capable of taking on an opposing star in such an important contest.

The x-factor could then be Jonas Valanciunas

The Kings brought in the backup center as a way to shore up their size issues and get Sabonis some much needed help on the block. He’s done a solid job since joining the team, averaging 8.7 points and 7 rebounds a game.

He’s also done a lot of work at keeping opposing teams away from the rim.

While his production might not always show up on the stat sheet, having someone else who can hold their own against Dallas’ big men is a big deal. He’ll certainly be tested in that regard.

The Mavericks and Kings are due for a game that could easily go either way

The first quarter should set the tone for either side, and one team should pull away as the game goes on. It just depends on which stars show up at the right time.