Mavericks still alive in NBA Play-In Tournament without Luka Doncic. Is defense enough?
Mavericks still alive in NBA Play-In Tournament without Luka Doncic. Is defense enough?
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Denver Nuggets fire Coach and GM just before the NBA playoffs
For The Hoops crew debates whether the Denver Nuggets are in panic mode ahead the playoffs after firing head coach Mike Malone and GM Calvin Booth.
No Luka, no problem — at least for now.
The No. 10 Dallas Mavericks, often criticized for their February trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers, rolled through the No. 9 Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night to advance to the final game of the 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament.
In the 120-106 victory, Mavericks center Anthony Davis led his team with 27 points and nine rebounds, while DeMar DeRozan — and his 33-point performance — was practically the lone bright spot for the Kings.
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The Mavericks will face the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, with the winner clinching the final spot in the Western Conference, and a date against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which finished with the top record (68-14) in the NBA.
The Kings are eliminated and will now continue their search for a permanent head coach after firing Mike Brown in late December.
Here are three takeaways from Wednesday night's Kings-Mavericks play-in game:
Don't hate on Nico Harrison just yet. His defensive vision could be special.
Going back to the Dončić trade, general manager Nico Harrison has had his own fans berate him for trading a five-time All-NBA unicorn in his prime. And while one victory in the lower bracket of the play-in, against a weaker opponent, won't prove anything, Dallas has built an imposing front court trio of rim protectors in Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and backup Daniel Gafford.
They can adjust so many shots at the cup, can clog the lane and congest the mid-range. Domantas Sabonis struggled Wednesday, scoring just 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting. The Mavericks blocked eight shots and swiped nine steals.
Will that height and defense be enough to beat Memphis? That remains to be seen, but with the Grizzlies having Zach Edey, Jaren Jackson Jr. and plenty of height of their own, Dallas matches up well — especially because Ja Morant (ankle) thrives on attacking the paint.
The Kings are a flawed team. Their inability to defend the perimeter has proven lethal.
Throughout this season, the Kings often gave up monster quarters. Most often, it was because of an avalanche of 3s they allowed opponents to flush with little resistance, as they ranked dead last in defensive 3-point percentage (38.1%).
In the second quarter Wednesday night, Dallas outscored Sacramento 44-19 on eight made 3s. In fact, in the second period, the Mavericks made double the amount of 3s than they missed (four).
In particular, Klay Thompson ignited for 16 points in the second quarter, hitting all five of his attempts from the floor, four of which came from beyond the arc. But, proving how detrimental Sacramento's perimeter defense can be, look at the play of Davis, who had struggled for most of the first half. But a pair of lazy closeouts and overcommitments on driving players led to kickouts to Davis, who put home a pair of 3s late in the quarter to extend Dallas' lead to 23.
Davis had started the game 0-of-5 and then proceeded to score 17 points in just fewer than 10 minutes of game time — with the rash of 3s being key in the turnaround.
Mavericks role players came up big. They will need plenty more of that.
Thompson's eruption in the second quarter was just one of the contributions from Dallas' role players Wednesday night. Forward P.J. Washington, despite struggling from 3, delivered a steady dose of drives and mid-range jumpers, drawing fouls and getting to the line. He finished with 17 points and nine boards.
But it was the play of backup point guard Brandon Williams, who provided an efficient spark, scoring 17 points on eight shots (hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc) in just 18 minutes on the floor. Williams also dished five assists without a single turnover, providing that peak efficiency teams seek in bench players.
When Davis was struggling early, it was the role players who carried Dallas. And for the Mavericks to have a shot Friday against the Grizzlies — or beyond — they will need similar performances from players not named Davis.
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