MAVERICKS (16-17) AT SACRAMENTO KINGS (14-21)
Time: 9:30 p.m.
Place: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento
TV: BSSW, NBA-TV
Radio: The Eagle, 97.1 FM; Univision 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: This is the third of a five-game road trip for the Mavs. After tonight, they will play the Kings again in Sacramento on Friday and the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Sunday before returning home to entertain the Denver Nuggets on Monday to start a two-game home stand. . .Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, Trey Burke and JaQuori McLaughlin will all miss tonight’s game because they’re in the health and safety protocols. Also out tonight is center Willie Cauley-Stein, who will sit out his 16th consecutive game because of personal reasons. . .The Mavs opened this road trip with a 120-116 loss in Utah this past Saturday. But they rebounded Monday and captured a 132-117 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in an all-around team effort. Kristaps Porzingis collected a season-high 34 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals against Portland, and Dwight Powell finished with a season-high 22 points on 9-of-11 shots. Brandon Knight, who signed a 10-day contract under the COVID-related hardship allowance, had 18 points and five assists against the Blazers. . .Also against the Blazers, Jalen Brunson contributed 14 points and nine assists, Dorian Finney-Smith had 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Josh Green added nine points and a career-high 10 assists. The Mavs shot 57.1 percent from the field and distributed a season-high 38 assists against Portland. . .The Mavs are 8-9 on the road.
About the Kings: Starting tonight, the Kings will host the Mavs twice over the next three days. . .The Kings lost to the Mavs, 105-99, in Dallas on Oct. 31. Six Kings scored in double figures in that game, including Richaun Holmes, who finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds and two steals. Also in that game, former Mavs forward Harrison Barnes contributed 15 points, 10 boards, five assists and three steals, De’Aaron Fox had 14 points and eight rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton finished with 14 points, six boards and two blocks, Tristan Thompson collected 13 points and five rebounds, and Buddy Hield added 11 points and eight boards. . .The Kings have lost seven of their last 10 games. The only wins during that period of time were at home against Washington (119-105 on Dec. 15), San Antonio (121-114 on Dec. 19) and Oklahoma City (117-111 on Tuesday). . .Haliburton finished with 24 points, 10 assists and two blocks against Oklahoma City, Hield scored 21 points, and Barnes poured in 17 points on 5-of-9 three-pointers. . .Despite being seven games under .500, the Kings own road victories this season over the Phoenix Suns (110-107 on Oct. 27) and Los Angeles Lakers (141-137, three overtimes on Nov. 26). They also have beaten the Los Angeles Clippers twice – 124-115 in LA on Dec. 1, and 104-99 in Sacramento on Dec. 4. . .Fox (20.7 ppg, 5.1 apg) and Barnes (17.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg) pace the Kings, who are 8-11 at home.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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