The Dallas Mavericks(4-2) continued their early-season dominance at home when they defeated the Sacramento Kings(3-3) 105-99 at American Airlines Center on Sunday.
Dallas took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter and held on down the stretch to defeat the Kings.
The Mavericks have started 3-0 at home for the first time since 2013-14. Dallas won their first seven home games in 2013-14.
Here’s is the Great, Not so Great, and Bottom Line of Dallas’ win over Sacramento.
The Great for the Mavericks:
-Luka Doncic led the Mavs in points, assists, and rebounds for the second time this season (including ties) after recording 23 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists. This also marked Dončić’s 128th career game with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists, which sets him two such games away from tying Dirk Nowitzki’s franchise record of 130 games of 20-5-5.
Late in the game, with Mavericks leading 92-89, we saw “Logo Luka” when he hit a 36-foot three-point shot with the shot clock winding down that helped Dallas close out the game.
It was Doncic’s only made three of the game.
“Great recovery then good offense by a good player,” Mavericks head coach said about Doncic’s shot. “It was a big-time shot, with the clock running down; we all know he has the type of range. It was a big basket too. If I recall, I think that’s the only three he made. It was needed.”
Doncic added: “More confident than all my threes and my free throws. That shot goes in, and then all my normal shots can’t go in. I’ve got to work on those normal shots.”
–First-quarter: For the first time this season, Dallas led after the first quarter. The Mavericks led 31-22 after the first. Maxi Kleber led the way with 7 points in the quarter on 3/3 shooting.
-Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. This is his third game of the season with 15+ points, and the Mavericks are 3-0 in those games.
-Dorian Finney-Smith had 13 points and six rebounds tonight. Finney-Smith has recorded 6+ rebounds in five of his six starts.
-Dwight Powell compiled 12 points and eight rebounds. The Mavericks were 10-2 last season when Powell finished in double figures and are already 3-0 when he scores 10+ this season.
-Frank Ntilikina went 4-6 from the field, including 2-2 from deep, as he finished with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Ntilikina finished a point shy of tying his season-high from last season (13, accomplished twice).
-Defense: Dallas held Sacramento to 39.6% from the floor and to 7/36(19%) from three-point range.
Not so Great for the Mavericks:
-Maxi Kleber left the game in the first quarter with a back injury and did not return. Kleber was starting for Kristaps Porzingis, who missed the last four games with back tightness.
Bottom Line:
Good teams play well at home. Dallas got a solid victory over the Kings, and they had a balanced attack with five players in double figures. The goal for Dallas is to get one of the top spots in the West. To do that, they need to establish a true home-court advantage at American Airlines Center.
What’s Next:
Dallas hosts the Miami Heat in a nationally-televised game on Tuesday night.
Best of the Rest:
Richaun Holmes led Sacramento with 22 points and 13 rebounds. It was his fourth double-double of the season and the 49th of his career, and Harrison Barnes had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Sacramento, marking his third double-double of the season.
