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The Sacramento Kings will visit the American Airlines Center tonight to play the surging Dallas Mavericks.
The Kings are 12th in the Western Conference table with a 26-37 record, while the Mavericks are fifth thanks to a 36-27 record and are in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Match Details
Fixture: Sacramento Kings vs Dallas Mavericks | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Sunday, May 2nd; 8:00 PM ET (Monday, 3rd May; 5:30 AM IST).
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas.
Sacramento Kings Preview
The Sacramento Kings earned a shock 110-106 win over reigning champions LA Lakers in their last game. In a game in which LeBron James marked his return, rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton stole the show with his 23 points and 10 assists.
The Sacramento Kings have been the worst defense in the league this season, managing a dismal defensive rating of 119. They leak 119.1 points per game and grab just 31.7 defensive rebounds per contest.
Richaun Holmes has done extremely well as the team's starting center, putting up 14.5 points and 8.7 rebounds on 64.3% shooting from the field.
Key Player - Buddy Hield
After having a quiet 2019-20 campaign, sharpshooter Buddy Hield is back to his best, putting up 16.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 39% shooting from behind the 3-point arc. He has played the third-most minutes of any Sacramento Kings player, and will have additional responsibility on his shoulders tonight because of De'Aaron Fox's absence.
Apart from his recent failure against the LA Lakers, Hield has looked in fine touch lately, and head coach Luke Walton will be hoping the sharpshooter has a strong outing tonight.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
Guard - Tyrese Haliburton, Shooting Guard - Buddy Hield, Small Forward - Moe Harkless, Power Forward - Chimezie Metu, Center - Richaun Holmes
Also Read: Top 5 NBA players who won a championship in their rookie year
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have been on a roll lately, having won their last three games. Their most recent win came against the Washington Wizards, with Luka Doncic and co. winning by a narrow margin of 125-124.
The Dallas Mavericks' offense has fired on all cylinders, registering an impressive offensive rating of 115. They have been efficient from the field as well, making 47% of their field-goal attempts.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has done well to complement Luka Doncic, posting a stat line of 16 points and 3 rebounds on 38% shooting from the deep. Jalen Brunson has looked in good knick as well, averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is having an incredible season as the young Slovenian is averaging a superb 28.6 points, 8.9 assists and 8 rebounds per game. He has also shown active hands on the defensive end as well, tallying a steal per game.
The Dallas Mavericks are currently fifth in the Western Conference standings and a majority of the credit can be attributed towards the Real Madrid product. Doncic scored 31 points and dished out a staggering 20 assists against the Wizards yesterday, and he will be looking to have a similar impact tonight.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Luka Doncic l Shooting Guard - Josh Richardson l Small Forward - Dwight Powell l Power Forward - Dorian Finney-Smith l Center - Maxi Kleber
Kings vs Mavericks Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks are outright favorites to win this game, owing to both their recent form and position in the Western Conference. De'Aaron Fox's absence will also play a role, considering he has been the Sacramento Kings' best player in the 2020-21 NBA season.
Where to Watch Kings vs Mavericks
Live coverage of the Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks will be available on NBCS California and Bally Sports Southwest-Dallas. The match can be streamed live with an NBA League Pass as well.
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