SACRAMENTO — The energy in the building was noticeably different from the jump Friday night as the Kings and Mavericks tangled for the second time in three days. Unfortunately, the result was the same, as the Kings once again fell at home to the Mavericks, this time by a score of 107-103.
Though the first half of Tuesday’s blowout loss was close, it never felt like the Kings were in sync on either end of the floor, something that was vastly different in round two.
“I thought our guys fought throughout most of the game,” Mike Brown said. “They fought really hard to get this win. We had guys step up no matter who we threw into the game.”
Spurred on by hot starts from Harrison Barnes (11 first quarter points on 5-6 shooting) and Keon Ellis (a trio of treys in the first 12 minutes), Sacramento jumped out to a 34-26 lead. But it wasn’t just the offense that looked different; Mike Brown employed a defensive strategy that moved Domantas Sabonis to the top of the zone where he could double the ball, primarily when it was in the hands of Luka Doncic.
“At the end of the day, we weren’t going to allow Kyrie or Luka to beat us,” Brown said. “They’re two Hall of Fame players and they showed up tonight. They were over 50% (from the floor) and had 20 free throws between them. You don’t want those two guys to beat you, but they have a great feel.”
While the Kings were very clearly a tired team Tuesday, it was the Mavs that looked worse for the wear early in Friday’s rematch. The Kings certainly stepped up the defensive pressure, but Dallas missed quite a few open looks as well, leading to Sacramento’s early advantage. Amongst the positives in the first quarter there was a glaring negative, as Malik Monk exited the game with a right knee injury after Doncic fell on his leg. He would not return.
With their normal spark off the bench sidelined, Sacramento, already short on wing depth, turned to Davion Mitchell. Mitchell was aggressive from the get, hunting his shot while also playing the excellent defense that had gotten him back into the rotation. Barnes also continued to step up, following his first quarter output with six more in the second on a pair of three-point plays. That was about the time De’Aaron Fox decided to heat up as well, scoring five straight points as part of a ten point second frame.
Meanwhile, Doncic was getting frustrated by the Kings’ double teams and the lingering knee injury that was clearly bothering him once again. Limping around, he relied on hard drives to the basket, where he was able to consistently get a friendly whistle from the officials on his way to 13 first half points (3-7 from the field, 5-8 from the line). Despite Doncic’s offensive forcing of the issue, Sacramento carried a 60-51 advantage into the break.
The second half started auspiciously for Dallas with Daniel Gafford earning those in attendance free Crumbl Cookies thanks to a pair of missed free throws. But a Fox three would be Sacramento’s only points for the first four and a half minutes, as the Mavericks went on a 6-0 run that was finally ended by a Sabonis free throw.
But the Kings hung tough and played through questionable officiating, continuing to play tough, physical basketball on both ends of the floor, even as it felt they were the only ones being whistled for fouls on aggressive drives to the hoop.
“To lose the free throw battle 33-12, I just don’t understand it,” Brown said. “As a coach all you want is consistency, and 33-12 isn’t consistency. It’s tough.”
Kessler Edwards and Mitchell made big plays in the third, highlighted by Mitchell’s contested layup right at Kyrie Irving after a turnover and a pair of Edwards triples. Sabonis stepped up big in the period as well, despite dealing with an officiating crew that wasn’t giving him much of anything. He scored five points to go along with three rebounds and two assists in the quarter, but picked up his fourth foul with three minutes remaining in the period. Those stats secured his 56th consecutive double-double and 69th of the season. Sacramento held Doncic to just six points in the frame, four of which came from the free throw line, and took a 82-73 lead into the final quarter.
Golden1 came alive as the fourth quarter began, and Fox responded with a floater out of the break. An Edwards three pushed the lead to 10 with jut under ten minutes to play, and after Doncic responded from deep, Ellis connected on his fourth three on the game to regain the double-digit advantage. A 7-0 Mavericks’ run got Dallas to within three, and forced a Mike Brown timeout with 7:38 to play.
A Dante Exum three tied the game at 92 with 6:25 to play, and a very soft foul call against Ellis on an Irving three point attempt led to the Mavs first lead of the game after Kyrie connected on two of his three attempts. Needing a big play, it was once again Barnes that delivered, driving hard to the rack against Doncic for his third three point play of the night to put his team back on top.
Irving answered back on a midrange jumper one possession later, only to see the Kings go back on top behind Keegan Murray’s second three of the night. But the Mavs responded with a 5-0 run, only to see Sacramento return the favor to tie the game at 101 with 3:12 to play.
Irving and Fox traded buckets on ensuing possessions, and the teams traded misses each of their next two trips down. Dallas took a timeout with 1:12 to play and the game knotted at 103, and after the teams traded misses on each of their next two possessions, Dante Exum connected on a three in front of the Kings’ bench that gave his team a lead they would not relinquish. Sacramento did get Barnes’ an open look at the top of the key, but he could not connect, and though Sacramento secured the offensive rebound, they turned it over on a miscommunication between Barnes and Fox that led to a backcourt violation.
“Down the stretch we just didn’t make shots,” Fox said. “HB [Barnes] got an open shot at the top of the key, the way he was playing on offense tonight, that’s a shot you live with. It just didn’t go in.”
You can talk about the fouls: Dallas shot 33 free throws (including 14 by Doncic) to Sacramento’s 12, and it certainly played a factor. But the Kings were fully in control of this game until they weren’t, and had every opportunity down the stretch to make game-winning plays but could not deliver.
With just nine games remaining in the season, the all important sixth seed is now Dallas’ for the taking. Sacramento seems poised for the play-in unless they can make a run over the next nine games and get a little help along the way. Harrison Barnes spoke to the disappointment of not being able to take advantage of Friday’s strong start postgame.
“Any time you have a loss, and you had opportunities to extend the lead, it’s tough,” Barnes said.
“You can’t give up 34 points in the fourth quarter,” Fox said. “I think we had command of the game most of the game but losing the fourth quarter by 13 isn’t going to win you a lot of games.”
Brown was more gracious, crediting the offensive prowess of the Mavericks more than blaming his defense.
“We’re trying not to let Kyrie beat us, we were trying not to let Luka beat us, but they never panicked,” Brown said. “They just swung the ball to the next man and got wide open shots. The way they played down the stretch, I applaud them. It was a veteran team executing and taking what the defense gave them.
“We did a lot of really good things, but they put on an offensive clinic in that fourth quarter when it came to taking the right shot.”
Fox led the Kings with 23 points, with Barnes adding 20 and Ellis 16. Sabonis finished with a triple double of 13/12/10 in the loss, and Edwards (9), and Mitchell (8) filled in for Monk nicely off the bench.
Dallas was led by Irving’s 30 and Doncic’s 26, though the latter was just 6-14 from the field.
With the future of Malik Monk in doubt, and Kevin Huerter announced as out for the season, Sacramento will have a next man up philosophy for the stretch run. That was echoed by the players and coach after the game.
“It’s definitely big obviously, what he does for us, playmaking scoring, coming off the bench – that’s a big blow,” Fox said. “We have nine games left, there’s no looking in the rear window now.”
“It’s unfortunate.” Barnes said. “Obviously still trying to figure out the severity of it, but that’s part of the business. Last year we were extremely healthy, but this year we’ve been a little injury plagued. Next man up mentality.”
“We just got to have the next man step up,” Brown said. “Nobody is going to fill Malik’s shoes so we just have to do it by committee.”
After back to back losses, the Kings will look to rise back up into the win column against the Jazz Sunday night.
