The Sacramento Kings secured a 120-115 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday’s NBA action, led by De’Aaron Fox’s impressive 34 points and Harrison Barnes’ contribution of 20 points. This win came despite Luka Doncic’s strong performance for Dallas, scoring 28 points following his record-breaking 73-point game the previous night.
Keegan Murray, who primarily guarded Doncic and scored 15 points himself, joked about the challenge of facing Doncic, later celebrating by wearing the team’s defensive player of the game crown in the locker room.
“Fox was joking to me to just, ‘Don’t let (Doncic) put 70 on your head tonight,’ ” Murray said.
Despite a significant 23-point lead, the Kings saw their advantage reduce to six points with two minutes remaining. However, Fox’s layup and subsequent free throws helped secure the win despite Maxi Kleber’s late effort bringing Dallas within three points.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks Updates
Fox reflected on the need for the Kings to close out games more effectively despite their lead. Kevin Huerter added 18 points for Sacramento.
“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.”
Domantas Sabonis notched his 27th consecutive double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, contributing to the Kings’ third consecutive win after a challenging four-game losing streak. This victory also marked their success in the first two games of a seven-game road trip.
Conversely, the Mavericks came off a high-scoring win against Atlanta, where Doncic tied for the fourth-highest points in an NBA game. Doncic, still impressive, recorded his ninth triple-double of the season against the Kings, ranking third in the NBA for triple-doubles.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks Updates
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd acknowledged Doncic’s tendency to take on challenges single-handedly, emphasizing his depth and commitment. Grant Williams scored a career-high 27 points for Dallas, matching his record of seven 3-pointers, and Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 19 points.
“With the depth that we have, he’s out there trying to do it by himself,” Kidd said. “That’s who he is. He loves to take on the world.”
Doncic, playing significant minutes over the two games, showed signs of fatigue, with his scoring against the Kings being his lowest since a previous encounter with Sacramento. Despite the loss, Doncic expressed pride in his team’s effort.
“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.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks Updates
A technical foul was called on Doncic in the second quarter after he was blocked twice by Murray, marking a challenging game for the star player. The Kings, defensively strong, achieved a season-high 10 blocks, most of which came in the first half.
The Mavericks were without Kyrie Irving due to a thumb injury, marking another game where Dallas lacked one or both star players.
Looking ahead, the Kings will face the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Mavericks will host the Orlando Magic, both games scheduled for Monday night.
