SACRAMENTO KINGS (24-41) at MAVERICKS (38-25)
Time: 4 p.m. Saturday.
Place: American Airlines Center, Dallas.
TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; Univision Zona MX 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Kings: This is the finale of a five-game trip for the Kings, who have gone 2-2 so far, including a 115-112 victory at San Antonio on Thursday. In that game, former Mav Harrison Barnes had 27 points. De’Aaron Fox had 26 points and nine assists and newcomer Domantas Sabonis had 12 points and 12 rebounds . . . Hard to believe that Barnes now has been with the Kings for 3½ seasons since being traded for Justin Jackson and Zach Randolph. He’s averaging 17.4 points, 6 rebounds and shooting 41.7 percent from 3-point land . . . As unlikely as it seems, the Kings still believe they are in the hunt for a spot in the play-in tournament. They are 3½ games behind New Orleans for the 10th seed in the Western Conference, which would get them into the play-in . . . They are 4-5 since the trade in which they acquired Sabonis from Indiana for Buddy Hield, Tyrese Haliburton and Tristan Thompson. Sabonis has averaged 17.3 points and 13.1 rebounds in nine games since joining the Kings . . . The Kings also dealt Marvin Bagley to Detroit at the trade deadline in a multi-team deal that netted them Trey Lyles and Donte DiVincenzo . . . Center Richaun Holmes sat out the San Antonio game with a back injury and is questionable for the Mavericks’ game . . . The Kings have a hard time stopping anybody. They are next-to-last in the NBA in all of the following defensive categories: points allowed (115.1), shooting percentage (47.8) and overall defensive rating (114.7 points allowed per 100 possessions).
About the Mavericks: They started their four-game home stand with a bang on Thursday night, taking down the Golden State Warriors for the second time in five days, this time with a 122-113 triumph that featured 41 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists from Luka Dončić. The Mavericks now have won three games in a row and 22 of their last 29 games . . .Dončić has been fantastic for weeks, having won the February player of the month award in the Western Conference. But he is suffering from a left toe sprain and is questionable for Saturday’s game, as is Sterling Brown (illness) and Trey Burke (left shoulder sprain). Marquese Chriss (right knee soreness), Maxi Kleber (right ankle soreness), Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery) and Theo Pinson (finger fracture) all are out . . . Spencer Dinwiddie has been on a tear since the All-Star break. He played two games before the break to get his feet under him after coming to Dallas in the Kristaps Porzingis trade. Since the break, he’s averaged 18.8 points and 5.8 assists in four games. The Mavericks have gone 3-1 since the break . . . This will be the finale of the season series and the Mavericks will be trying to make 3-1 against the Kings this year. They already have won once in Sacramento and once at AAC. The win at Sacramento on New Year’s Eve was the catalyst that began the Mavericks on this 22-7 surge . . . The Mavericks have not been a great 3-point shooting team for the season (34.6 percent, 20th in the league). However, over their last 10 games, they have hit a very impressive 41.5 percent from beyond the arc . . . While the Mavericks have been hot, they are having a difficult time making up ground on their competitors for one of the top four seeds in the Western Conference. Utah has matched the Mavericks with three consecutive wins and remains in fourth place, three games ahead of the Mavericks in the loss column. Memphis also is just ahead of Utah, while Denver is only a game behind the Mavericks in the loss column.
Twitter: @ESefko
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