3 things to think about before the Dallas Mavericks take on the Sacramento Kings
Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports The Mavericks face off against the Kings one more time. The Dallas Mavericks will take on the Sacramento Kings one more time Friday night, marking their last trip of… The Dallas Mavericks are set to face the Sacramento Kings for the second time in a row, marking their last trip to Sacramento. This game is crucial as both teams are vying for playoff positions in the highly competitive West. The Kings were rested this time, playing five games in seven nights, while the Mavericks played only three games in the same stretch. The game will be played on Friday night at 9:00 p.m. CDT on NBA TV and NBA League Pass. Key questions include whether Tim Hardaway Jr. will break out of a months-long shooting slump, and if he can add accurate 3-point shooting to his defense and consistent attacks at the rim.
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The Mavericks face off against the Kings one more time.
The Dallas Mavericks will take on the Sacramento Kings one more time Friday night, marking their last trip of the season to Sacramento. They demolished the Kings on Tuesday, winning 132-96. They need another win to keep pace in the highly competitive West. Things are so tight in the Western Conference that we likely won’t find out where the Mavericks land until the rapidly approaching last week of the season. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with a Standings Watch so you’re up on the latest playoff scenarios.
But back to this game. It’s a big one, because the Kings and Mavericks are jostling for playoff position in the same neighborhood. When things are this tight in the standings, head-to-head records matter. A win is huge for that reason, but also because the Mavericks have been bad against teams with a record better than .500 season. On the eve of the postseason, they need to show they can hang with the best of the West.
The Kings will be rested this time around
In the first matchup on Tuesday, both teams were on the second night of a back-to-back. But the Kings were especially weary, having played five games in seven nights. This game, they’ll be on two days rest and at home for the second game in a row. The Mavericks, meanwhile played only three games in that same stretch. This time both teams’ energy will be around the same level. Dallas can’t come out sluggish, because it might let Sacramento build a big lead early.
The Mavericks shot an incredible 56 percent from behind the arc on Tuesday. That’s likely not going to happen again, but will they hit above 40 percent of their three’s? They’ve been cold from deep for a few weeks lately, yet it hasn’t stopped them from winning. If they add accurate 3-point shooting to the tough defense and consistent attacks at the rim to their formula, they’ll be a tough out for any team.
Is Tim Hardaway Jr. breaking out of his slump?
Hardaway has been mired in a months long shooting slump. He’s shooting 36 percent on three’s this year, which is literally his career average. With the Mavericks, though, he’s typically shot around 38-39 percent, except one down year in 2021-22 where he shot 33 percent. But this February he only shot 34 percent from deep, and March hasn’t been much better—just 35 percent. But on Tuesday, Hardaway went 4-of-6 from behind the arc, scoring 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Hopefully it’s the start of a hot streak for Hardaway, timed just perfectly for the playoffs.
The game tips off at 9:00 p.m. CDT on NBA TV and NBA League Pass.
หัวข้อ: Basketball, NBA, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks