Mavs Game Observations: Game 33 @ Kings

One quarter of fun, followed by three quarters of pain

Photo by Eakin Howard / Getty Images

The problems continue to mount for the depleted Dallas Mavericks, who suffered their third loss in four games with a 110-100 defeat in Sacramento.

Already without Luka Dončić, Naji Marshall, and Dereck Lively II, the Mavericks saw Kyrie Irving (right shoulder soreness) and Klay Thompson (illness) added late to the injury report, further depleting their lineup.

It’s hard to be too disappointed—or draw too many conclusions—from a game where Dallas was missing four starters and a key reserve, especially against a struggling Kings team desperate to end their losing streak.

This game was less about the result and more about the signals, with bench players stepping into larger roles—often too large—and their readiness to contribute at the highest level.

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Today’s notes:

1. A fun first quarter and another fun P.J. scoring night

2. Playing big rejuvenated the defense, if not for a fatal flaw

3. Another collapse on the boards and a devastating small-ball stretch

4. Lack of alternative plan

5. Disappointing guard play and a struggling offense

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1-A fun first quarter and another fun P.J. scoring night

Dallas opened the game like a team with nothing to lose, while the Kings, burdened by their six-game losing streak, looked rattled, nervous, and overly eager as they tried to force the action.

Spencer Dinwiddie landed the first punch, scoring 11 points in less than six minutes. Then P.J. Washington took over, hitting all four of his three-point attempts and racking up 19 points in the first quarter. It was reminiscent of past Dončić-Irving scoring outbursts in waves, providing the Mavericks’ struggling offense with a much-needed early boost and a 37-20 lead after the first quarter.

The versatile Washington showing once again that he can do more than just the dirty work, stepping up as a second or third scoring option on nights when his outside shot is falling and more offense is required from him, was one of the positives from an otherwise disappointing night.

2-Playing big rejuvenated the defense, if not for a fatal flaw

After the loss in Portland, I wrote about the disappointing lack of defensive resistance against a poor offensive team and how much of that stemmed from playing small. That game featured the highest number of minutes played by guards and smaller lineups this season.

Last night, with Washington back in the mix, Jason Kidd adjusted his strategy, going the opposite direction by utilizing much bigger lineups, often playing Washington alongside Maxi Kleber and a center. Even without Lively, this game featured the second-most minutes played by bigs this season, with Daniel Gafford, Dwight Powell, and Kleber combining for 74 minutes, along with an additional 38 minutes for Washington and 9 for Olivier-Maxence Prosper. As a result, Sacramento struggled with excessive fouling against a bigger Dallas lineups, while the Mavericks protected the paint effectively, recording a season-high 13 blocks. The Kings shot just 45 percent in the paint and an even worse 50 percent at the rim.

The Mavericks’ halfcourt defense was actually better than the Kings’ and was good enough to win the game last night.

3-Another collapse on the boards and a devastating small-ball stretch

The main downfall for the Mavericks last night was getting dominated on the offensive glass once again. The much smaller Kings posted a 38 percent offensive rebound rate, while the Mavericks, despite often playing two bigs alongside Washington, had a season-low output on the offensive boards, leading to a hard-to-believe 18-to-2 margin in offensive rebounds.

Gafford had his second consecutive game with 5 blocks and was a key contributor to the Mavericks’ paint protection success. However, his tendency to jump at every shot and get pushed out of position by stronger bigs like Sabonis played a significant role in the team’s collapse on the glass. The Kings posted a 44 percent offensive rebound rate with Gafford on the floor, including four offensive rebounds on one critical possession late in the third quarter during Sacramento’s decisive run. This marks the fifth consecutive game in which the Mavericks have posted a negative rebounding margin, a reminder of their early-season losing streak and just how vital Lively and Dončić are to their success on the boards.