Kings beat Mavericks 120-115
DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts in the second half as Dallas takes on the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on January 27, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees
DALLAS (AP) - De'Aaron Fox scored 34 points and Harrison Barnes had 20 to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 120-115 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
Dallas' Luka Doncic had 28 points to go with 17 assists and 10 rebounds one night after scoring a franchise-record 73 points in a win over the Atlanta Hawks.
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. Dallas' Maxi Kleber converted his own follow with seven seconds left pulling Dallas within three. Barnes hit two free throws with 4.4 seconds to go.
Kevin Huerter scored 18 and Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds 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, having won 148-143 at Atlanta on Friday night when Doncic tied for the fourth most points in a game in NBA history behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant. Grant Williams scored a career-high 27 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. had 19.
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Doncic 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.
Doncic was called for a technical foul early in the second quarter after being blocked twice within five seconds by Keegan 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 led by 16 points during the first half, closed with an 11-2 run, then added the first eight points of the third period for a 71-49 lead.
Doncic played 44:43 on Friday, his second-most court time in a game this season to the 45:59 that he played on Dec. 2 in a six-point home loss to Oklahoma City.
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.
UP NEXT
Kings: Visit Memphis on Monday night.
Mavericks: Host Orlando on Monday night.