Game ID: 22300651
Sacramento Kings @ Dallas Mavericks
Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET
American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
DAL 25 24 26 40 115SAC 29 34 31 26 120
DAL vs SAC ScoutingDAL vs SAC Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
DAL availability going into 1/17 · 1 day's restOUT Dončić missed 3 since 1/11, returns tonight: 36 min (95% of 38)
OUT Exum missed 7 since 1/03, out tonight
OUT Holmes missed 3 since 1/11, out tonight
BACK Lively II back 1/15 after 5, 26 min since (113% of 23)
BACK Kleber back 1/13 after 31, 15 min since (78% of 20)
NEW Jones Jr. 25 to 33 min over the last 4
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Powell 12 to 26 min over the last 5
DAL availability going into 1/22 · 4 days' restOUT Exum missed 8 since 1/03, out tonight
OUT Holmes missed 4 since 1/11, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 1/17 after 3, 36 min since (95% of 38)
BACK Lively II back 1/15 after 5, 27 min since (117% of 23)
BACK Kleber back 1/13 after 31, 17 min since (88% of 20)
NEW Jones Jr. 25 to 31 min over the last 4
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 35 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 30 min over the last 4
NEW Hardy 12 to 20 min over the last 5
NEW Powell 12 to 21 min over the last 5
DAL availability going into 1/24 · 1 day's restOUT Exum missed 9 since 1/03, returns tonight: 19 min (115% of 16)
OUT Holmes missed 5 since 1/11, returns tonight: 5 min (47% of 10)
BACK Dončić back 1/17 after 3, 38 min since (99% of 38)
BACK Lively II back 1/15 after 5, 26 min since (114% of 23)
BACK Kleber back 1/13 after 31, 19 min since (99% of 20)
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 34 min over the last 4
NEW Powell 12 to 21 min over the last 4
DAL availability going into 1/26 · 1 day's restOUT Curry missed 2 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Powell missed 2 since 1/22, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 1/17 after 3, 38 min since (99% of 38)
BACK Lively II back 1/15 after 5, 26 min since (113% of 23)
BACK Kleber back 1/13 after 31, 20 min since (102% of 20)
BACK Exum back 1/24 after 9, 19 min since (115% of 16)
BACK Holmes back 1/24 after 5, 5 min since (47% of 10)
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 35 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 33 min over the last 4
DAL availability going into 1/27 · back-to-backOUT Irving missed 2 since 1/24, out tonight
OUT Curry missed 3 since 1/22, returns tonight: 11 min (87% of 13)
OUT Powell missed 3 since 1/22, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 1/17 after 3, 40 min since (104% of 38)
BACK Lively II back 1/15 after 5, 26 min since (114% of 23)
BACK Exum back 1/24 after 9, 23 min since (140% of 16)
BACK Holmes back 1/24 after 5, 9 min since (90% of 10)
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 33 min over the last 4
DAL availability going into 1/29 · 1 day's restOUT Irving missed 3 since 1/24, out tonight
OUT Powell missed 4 since 1/22, returns tonight: 1 min (9% of 12)
BACK Dončić back 1/17 after 3, 41 min since (107% of 38)
BACK Exum back 1/24 after 9, 23 min since (140% of 16)
BACK Curry back 1/27 after 3, 11 min since (87% of 13)
BACK Holmes back 1/24 after 5, 9 min since (87% of 10)
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 34 min over the last 4
DAL availability going into 1/31 · 1 day's restOUT Irving missed 4 since 1/24, out tonight
OUT Jones Jr. missed 2 since 1/27, out tonight
OUT Exum missed 2 since 1/27, out tonight
BACK Curry back 1/27 after 3, 8 min since (63% of 13)
BACK Powell back 1/29 after 4, 1 min since (9% of 12)
BACK Holmes back 1/24 after 5, 7 min since (73% of 10)
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Lively II 23 to 30 min over the last 5
DAL availability going into 2/03 · 2 days' restOUT Irving missed 5 since 1/24, out tonight
OUT Jones Jr. missed 3 since 1/27, returns tonight: 35 min (142% of 25)
OUT Exum missed 3 since 1/27, out tonight
BACK Curry back 1/27 after 3, 11 min since (84% of 13)
BACK Powell back 1/29 after 4, 8 min since (65% of 12)
BACK Holmes back 1/24 after 5, 12 min since (117% of 10)
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Lively II 23 to 31 min over the last 4
NEW Hardy 12 to 21 min over the last 5
DAL availability going into 2/05 · 1 day's restOUT Irving missed 6 since 1/24, returns tonight: 35 min (95% of 36)
OUT Lively II missed 2 since 1/31, out tonight
OUT Exum missed 4 since 1/27, out tonight
BACK Jones Jr. back 2/03 after 3, 35 min since (142% of 25)
BACK Curry back 1/27 after 3, 11 min since (84% of 13)
BACK Powell back 1/29 after 4, 11 min since (96% of 12)
NEW Dončić 38 to 44 min over the last 4
NEW Hardaway Jr. 25 to 35 min over the last 5
NEW Green 24 to 34 min over the last 5
NEW Hardy 12 to 20 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 1/16 · 1 day's restBACK Ellis back 1/07 after 3, 9 min since (52% of 17)
BACK Vezenkov back 1/07 after 3, 12 min since (97% of 12)
NEW Lyles 20 to 27 min over the last 4
SAC availability going into 1/18 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 2 since 1/14, returns tonight: 2 min (11% of 17)
OUT Mitchell missed 2 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Duarte missed 2 since 1/14, out tonight
BACK Vezenkov back 1/12 after 2, 11 min since (89% of 12)
SAC availability going into 1/22 · 3 days' restOUT Mitchell missed 3 since 1/14, returns tonight: 22 min (144% of 15)
OUT Duarte missed 3 since 1/14, out tonight
BACK Ellis back 1/18 after 2, 2 min since (11% of 17)
BACK Vezenkov back 1/12 after 2, 11 min since (89% of 12)
SAC availability going into 1/25 · 2 days' restOUT Duarte missed 4 since 1/14, returns tonight: 3 min (22% of 12)
BACK Ellis back 1/18 after 2, 2 min since (11% of 17)
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 22 min since (144% of 15)
BACK Vezenkov back 1/12 after 2, 10 min since (81% of 12)
NEW Huerter 24 to 32 min over the last 4
SAC availability going into 1/27 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 2 since 1/22, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 19 min since (122% of 15)
BACK Duarte back 1/25 after 4, 3 min since (22% of 12)
NEW Huerter 24 to 32 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 1/29 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 3 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 2 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 16 min since (105% of 15)
BACK Duarte back 1/25 after 4, 3 min since (22% of 12)
NEW Huerter 24 to 31 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 1/31 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 4 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Duarte missed 2 since 1/27, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 3 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 16 min since (105% of 15)
NEW Huerter 24 to 33 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 2/02 · 1 day's restOUT Ellis missed 5 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Duarte missed 3 since 1/27, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 4 since 1/25, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 1/22 after 3, 15 min since (100% of 15)
NEW Barnes 29 to 36 min over the last 5
NEW Huerter 24 to 33 min over the last 5
SAC availability going into 2/03 · back-to-backOUT Ellis missed 6 since 1/22, out tonight
OUT Duarte missed 4 since 1/27, out tonight
OUT Vezenkov missed 5 since 1/25, out tonight
NEW Barnes 29 to 38 min over the last 5
NEW Huerter 24 to 34 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 128, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Dončić at 43 and Irving at 26 a game. Without Irving (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Sacramento comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 126, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 22 free throws a game; Fox at 26 and Barnes at 19 a game. Without Ellis (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Sacramento wins, on the road, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Sacramento 123, Dallas 121, Dallas keeping it close.
1/17 @ LAL 110-127 — DAL notes
DAL lost 110-127. DAL shot 46% (42 of 91) to LAL's 54%, 11 of 40 from three, and got to the line 18 times to LAL's 24. DAL turned it over 15 times to LAL's 10, and LAL turned those into 8 steals. Dončić led with 33 (12 of 24, 2 of 9 from three, 7 of 9 at the line); Lively II added 16, Irving 12. Q2 was theirs, 27-23, the deficit cut from 6 to 2, but the other 3 periods went 104-83 against them. Jones Jr.'s -25 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/22 vs BOS 110-119 — DAL notes
DAL lost 110-119. DAL took 9 more shots (97 to 88), fed by 10 offensive rebounds, but shot 44% to BOS's 47%, 14 of 40 from three, and got to the line 14 times to BOS's 30. Dončić led with 33 (12 of 30, 2 of 8 from three, 7 of 11 at the line); Irving added 23, Hardaway Jr. 20. Q1 was theirs, 26-24, but the other 3 periods went 95-84 against them. Dončić's -13 in 40 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/24 vs PHX 109-132 — DAL notes
DAL lost 109-132. DAL shot 46% (41 of 89) to PHX's 60%, 17 of 43 from three. The glass went 33-49 against them. Dončić led with 34 (11 of 24, 4 of 11 from three, 8 of 12 at the line); Hardaway Jr. added 17, Hardy 11. Q1 was theirs, 34-25, but the other 3 periods went 107-75 against them. They led by as many as 16. Jones Jr.'s -35 in 24 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/26 @ ATL 148-143 — DAL notes
DAL won 148-143. DAL shot 60% (51 of 85) to ATL's 53%, 19 of 35 from three. DAL turned it over 13 times to ATL's 7. Dončić led with 73 (25 of 33, 8 of 13 from three, 15 of 16 at the line); Green added 21, Hardaway Jr. 13. The hinge was Q3, 42-36: from level to 6 ahead. Lively II was the night's best plus/minus at +16.
1/27 vs SAC 115-120 — DAL notes
DAL lost 115-120. DAL took 18 more shots (98 to 80), fed by 13 offensive rebounds, but shot 44% to SAC's 54%, 16 of 46 from three, and got to the line 18 times to SAC's 30. Dončić led with 28 (9 of 26, 1 of 9 from three, 9 of 12 at the line); Williams added 27, Hardaway Jr. 19. Q4 was theirs, 40-26, the deficit cut from 19 to 5, but the other 3 periods went 94-75 against them. Kleber's -17 in 13 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/29 vs ORL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 128, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Dončić at 40 and Hardaway Jr. at 16 a game. Without Irving (3 straight). One day's rest. Orlando comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 108, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 28 free throws a game; Banchero at 21 and F. Wagner at 16 a game. Without Gar. Harris (12 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Dallas wins, and the game turns on the defense, Orlando allowing 108 a night to Dallas's 128 and the line, where Orlando takes 28 free throws a game to Dallas's 20. Call it Dallas 116, Orlando 114, Orlando keeping it close.
1/31 @ MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 109, shooting 49 percent and 44 from three, 20 free throws a game; Towns at 31 and Edwards at 26 a game. Without Conley (2 straight). One day's rest. Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 129, shooting 50 percent and 41 from three, 25 free throws a game; Dončić at 43 and Hardaway Jr. at 21 a game. Without Irving (4 straight), Jones Jr. (2 straight), Exum (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the defense, Minnesota allowing 109 a night to Dallas's 129 and the line, where Dallas takes 25 free throws a game to Minnesota's 20. Call it Minnesota 119, Dallas 113.
2/03 vs MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 129, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 27 free throws a game; Dončić at 45 and Hardaway Jr. at 20 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Irving (5 straight), Jones Jr. (3 straight), Exum (3 straight). 2 days' rest. Milwaukee comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 115, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 24 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 29 and Lillard at 24 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: Milwaukee wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Milwaukee allowing 115 a night to Dallas's 129 and the glass, where Milwaukee has been plus-0 a night and Dallas minus-5. Call it Milwaukee 121, Dallas 119, Dallas keeping it close.
2/05 @ PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Philadelphia comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 124, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 23 free throws a game; Harris at 21 and Oubre Jr. at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Embiid (2 straight), Melton (11 straight), Batum (3 straight). One day's rest. Dallas comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 128, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 28 free throws a game; Dončić at 46 and Hardaway Jr. at 20 a game. Without Irving (6 straight), Lively II (2 straight), Exum (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Philadelphia wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Dallas giving it away 15 times a game to Philadelphia's 10 and the line, where Dallas takes 28 free throws a game to Philadelphia's 23. Call it Philadelphia 121, Dallas 118, Dallas keeping it close.
1/16 @ PHX 117-119 — SAC notes
SAC lost 117-119. SAC shot 50% (46 of 92) to PHX's 49%, 18 of 40 from three, and got to the line just 12 times against 20 fouls committed. The glass went 31-46 against them. Fox led with 33 (12 of 24, 6 of 10 from three); Sabonis added 21, Murray 18. Q1 was theirs, 39-27, but the other 3 periods went 92-78 against them. They led by as many as 22.
1/18 vs IND 121-126 — SAC notes
SAC lost 121-126. SAC shot 52% (44 of 85) to IND's 55%, 15 of 37 from three, and went to the line 32 times to IND's 19 — 18 points from the stripe to their 15. Huerter led with 31 (11 of 17, 7 of 12 from three); Murray added 27, Fox 24. Q4 was theirs, 32-27, the deficit cut from 10 to 5, but the other 3 periods went 99-89 against them.
1/22 vs ATL 122-107 — SAC notes
SAC won 122-107. SAC shot 46% (43 of 93) to ATL's 39%, 12 of 38 from three. Barnes led with 32 (10 of 20, 4 of 8 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Sabonis added 14, Murray 13. The hinge was Q2, 30-16: a lead of 3 became 17, and the lead reached 24. Monk was the night's best plus/minus at +14.
1/25 @ GSW 134-133 — SAC notes
SAC won 134-133. SAC shot 53% (48 of 91) to GSW's 56%, 22 of 48 from three. Barnes led with 39 (14 of 24, 7 of 12 from three); Fox added 29, Sabonis 18. The hinge was Q1, 40-32: from level to 8 ahead.
1/27 @ DAL 120-115 — SAC notes
SAC won 120-115. SAC shot 54% (43 of 80) to DAL's 44%, 11 of 30 from three, and went to the line 30 times to DAL's 18 — 23 points from the stripe to their 13. Fox led with 34 (13 of 24, 1 of 5 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Barnes added 20, Huerter 18. The hinge was Q2, 34-24: a lead of 4 became 14, and the lead reached 23. Fox was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
1/29 @ MEM — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Memphis comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 109, shooting 45 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Jackson Jr. at 25 and Williams Jr. at 18 a game. Without Bane (8 straight), LaRavia (7 straight), Rose (13 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Sacramento comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 120, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Fox at 26 and Barnes at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Ellis (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Sacramento wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Memphis allowing 109 a night to Sacramento's 120 and the turnovers, Memphis giving it away 15 times a game to Sacramento's 11. Call it Sacramento 115, Memphis 113, Memphis keeping it close.
1/31 @ MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 101 a night and allowing 119, shooting 42 percent and 36 from three, 19 free throws a game; Butler III at 20 and Herro at 17 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 115, shooting 51 percent and 37 from three, 24 free throws a game; Fox at 24 and Barnes at 21 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Ellis (4 straight). One day's rest.
So: Sacramento wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Sacramento has been plus-3 a night and Miami minus-7. Call it Sacramento 116, Miami 112, Miami keeping it close.
2/02 @ IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 120, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 16 free throws a game; Siakam at 23 and Nesmith at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Mathurin (2 straight), McConnell (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 113, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 21 free throws a game; Barnes at 22 and Fox at 22 a game. Without Ellis (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: Indiana wins, and the game turns on the defense, Sacramento allowing 113 a night to Indiana's 120 and the glass, where Indiana has been plus-5 a night and Sacramento plus-1. Call it Indiana 120, Sacramento 119, Sacramento keeping it close.
2/03 @ CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 116, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; White at 23 and DeRozan at 23 a game. Without Williams (3 straight), Craig (22 straight). 2 days' rest. Sacramento comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 116, shooting 52 percent and 36 from three, 21 free throws a game; Fox at 25 and Barnes at 20 a game. Without Ellis (6 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Chicago wins, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it Chicago 117, Sacramento 114, Sacramento keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
DALAL A. Lawson
DL D. Lively II
DO Doncic
GW G. Williams
JG J. Green
JH J. Hardy
LD L. Dončić
MK M. Kleber
RH R. Holmes
SC S. Curry
TH T. Hardaway Jr.
SACDF D. Fox
DM D. Mitchell
DS D. Sabonis
HB H. Barnes
JM J. McGee
KE K. Edwards
KH K. Huerter
KM K. Murray
MM M. Monk
TL T. Lyles
DAL/SAC the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
De'Aaron Fox scores 34 as Kings cool off Luka Doncic and beat Mavericks 120-115
DALLAS -- — De’Aaron Fox scored 34 points and Harrison Barnes had 20 to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 120-115 win over Dallas on Saturday night, cooling off the Mavericks' Luka Doncic who had 28 points the night after scoring a franchise-record 73.
“Fox was joking to me to just, ‘Don’t let (Doncic) put 70 on your head tonight,’ ” said Keegan Murray , who was the Kings’ primary defender on Doncic and scored 15 points. In the locker room afterward, Murray posed while wearing the team’s defensive player of the game crown.
The Kings had a 23-point lead that dwindled to 114-108 with two minutes to play before Fox scored on a layup and a pair of free throws. Maxi Kleber converted his own follow with seven seconds left to pull Dallas within three. Barnes hit two free throws with 4.4 seconds to go.
“When you have a lead like that, it’s natural that you just want to waste some time,” Fox said. “We’ve got to be able to finish a game better than that.”
Kevin Huerter scored 18 and Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for his 27th consecutive double-double as the Kings won their third straight following a season-worst four-game losing streak. They’ve won the first two games of a season-long seven-game road trip.
The Mavericks split their back-to-back after beating Atlanta 148-143 on Friday night when Doncic tied for the fourth most points in a game in NBA history behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant.
Doncic also had 17 assists and 10 rebounds on Saturday for his ninth triple-double this season, third in the NBA behind Nikola Jokic’s 13 and Sabonis’ 12.
“With the depth that we have, he’s out there trying to do it by himself,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “That’s who he is. He loves to take on the world.”
Grant Williams scored a career-high 27 points, matching a career best with seven made 3’s, and Tim Hardaway Jr . had 19 for Dallas.
Doncic played a season-high 46:09 minutes after playing 44:43 on Friday night. He shot 9 of 26, hitting his first 3-pointer on nine attempts with 17 seconds to go. It was his lowest output since scoring 25 points in 32 minutes in a 16-point home loss to the Kings on Nov. 19.
“I’m tired. I can’t wait to go to sleep, honestly,” Doncic said. “I thought we fought well. I’m proud of how this team fought. Obviously, we couldn’t get the win, but we fought really well.”
Doncic was called for a technical foul early in the second quarter after being blocked twice within five seconds by Murray. At that point, his 4-of-12 shooting from the floor matched his total of missed field-goal attempts on Friday when taking 33 shots.
The Kings had a season-high 10 blocks, nine in the first half.
Dallas’ Kyrie Irving missed his third straight game after spraining his right thumb on Monday. He has missed 19 games this season. It was the 24th time in 46 games that Dallas has played without one or both of its stars.