GameDay: Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings
Mavericks at Kings
9 p.m. Tuesday, Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, Calif.
TV: FSSW Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM, ESPN Deportes 1540 AM (Sp.)
Records: Kings 16-21; Mavs 26-12
About the Mavs: They come in off their third two-game losing streak of the season, but have not lost three in a row this season. ... Dallas followed last Wednesday’s 108-95 loss at home to the Detroit Pistons with an equally embarrassing 120-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. The Clippers game was the first of a three-game road trip which ends Wednesday in Denver before the Mavs make it back home to host Denver on Friday. … The Mavs continue to talk about improving their rebound production, but they’re not where they want to be at this point of the season. … The Mavs are 7-4 since the arrival of point guard Rajon Rondo in a trade with the Boston Celtics. On Monday, coach Rick Carlisle talked about loosening the reins on Rondo. … The Mavs beat the Kings 106-98 on Nov. 11 in Dallas.
About the Kings: A quick glance of the Kings and one would think they’re struggling. But this is not a team to be taken lightly. Especially since the Kings come into the game as winners in two of their last three games. That includes Wednesday’s 104-83 blowout victory over Oklahoma City, which had Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant at the time. The Kings held Westbrook to 10 points on 3-of-19 shooting and forced him into seven turnovers. … The Kings like to run the ball and are 11th in the NBA in scoring (102.2 points). However, they don’t defend very well and are 26th in points allowed (103.7). … But the Kings are one of the league’s top rebounding teams. They average 44.5 per game, eighth in the NBA. … DeMarcus Cousins averages 23.9 points and 12.3 rebounds, Rudy Gay is averages 20.8 points, and Darren Collison averages 16.6 points and 6.0 assists.
— Dwain Price
This story was originally published January 12, 2015 at 8:52 PM with the headline "GameDay: Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings."