The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a huge win today against the Sacramento Kings. This historic win greatly improves their chances of making it into the Western Conference playoffs! One player in particular helped guide the Mavericks just about every step of the way: Klay Thompson. He netted 16 of his 23 points in a flurry of a second quarter. This victory came after a tumultuous season for the Mavericks, who will now face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night for a chance to enter the playoffs.
Thompson’s impressive second quarter fueled the Mavericks’ lead as he sank back-to-back three-pointers early in the period. His other two threes late in the quarter contributed to Dallas taking a huge 23-point lead into halftime. The game then quickly devolved into a laugher, giving the Mavericks freedom to dictate the pace and momentum of the contest.
The Mavericks have had no shortage of obstacles this year. One of the largest was dealing their then-young superstar, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers. Related Anthony Davis is on his way to Dallas after this controversial trade. It has fueled fury among fans and put a critical lens on the organization’s decision-making.
The Kings could never seem to establish their flow. Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan was both deadly and merciful in the Kings’ campaign-ending Game 7, leading all scorers with 33 points. Zach LaVine dropped another 20 point performance on Sacramento. Their valiant efforts would not be enough to overcome a hungry Mavericks team looking to make a statement. During that stretch this season, the Kings have faced their fair share of adversity. The biggest blow was the December firing of head coach Mike Brown.
Either way, with this surprising victory, the Mavericks have pushed their wacky little season out to at least one more game. Whatever has been said and written, these Wizards players are solely focused on their upcoming matchup against the Grizzlies. A win in this contest will clinch their place in the playoffs. The victor of that contest moves on. They’ll meet top-seeded Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday.
Leave a Reply