Mavericks at Kings
The Dallas Mavericks' margin for error is razor-thin as they head to Sacramento to face the lowly Kings on Sunday. The Mavericks sit seventh in the Western Conference, but they're just a half-game ahead of Memphis and Phoenix in a wild race for the final two playoff spots. Dallas has won four straight on the road — it hasn't won five in a row away from home since its NBA-title season in 2010-11.
The Mavericks have won 17 of the past 19 meetings including two of three this season, but all of this year's matchups have been decided by five points or fewer. "They've got some talented guys," Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki told reporters following a 103-100 win over the Kings last Saturday. "I thought (Rudy) Gay made some shots all night long, so we had to grind this one out and that's what we did." The Kings followed that loss with two straight wins before being blown out 102-69 at Golden State on Friday.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (46-31): Dallas has opened a key four-game road swing with back-to-back wins over the Clippers and Lakers in Los Angeles and has a good shot at a perfect trip with games at Sacramento and Utah remaining. The Mavericks might need to finish the flawless swing to hang onto a playoff spot, too, because they have play San Antonio, Phoenix and Memphis in their final three contests. Nowitzki has carried the Mavericks lately, scoring 20 or more points in five of the last six games.
ABOUT THE KINGS (27-49): Sacramento usually doesn't have trouble putting up points, but the offense didn't click against the Warriors. They hope to show that was an anomaly and return to the form that allowed them to score 103 points per game in their previous three contests. Ray McCallum has been forced into a larger role with Isaiah Thomas (quad) sidelined the past six games and the rookie has responded by averaging 15.3 points and 7.2 assists during that stretch.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Nowitzki (26,678) passed Dominique Wilkins for 11th on the NBA's all-time scoring list Friday and needs 32 points to tie Oscar Robertson for 10th.
2. Kings C DeMarcus Cousins has recorded double-doubles in three straight games and 11 of the last 13 and has 48 for the season, third-most in the NBA.
3. The Mavericks are 14-3 when they have at least six players score in double digits.