Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings Prediction & Match Preview - April 26th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
Action in the 2020-21 NBA season continues with the Dallas Mavericks taking on the struggling Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center on Monday.
In their first meeting of the season, the Sacramento Kings beat the Dallas Mavericks to snap their nine-game losing streak. Luka Doncic's 37-point performance wasn't enough to carry his team to victory, as the Kings' De'Aaron Fox dropped a 30-point, 12-assist double-double outing.
Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Monday, April 26th, 2021; 10:00 PM ET (Tuesday, April 27th; 7:30 AM IST).
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA.
Sacramento Kings Preview
This will be the second game on as many days for the Sacramento Kings.
They are coming off a debilitating loss to the Golden State Warriors. In a keenly fought contest, the Sacramento Kings lost 113-117.
The Kings will play this game without De'Aaron Fox, as he will be unavailable for 10-14 days due to the league's health and safety protocols.
The highlight of their otherwise dismal season has been rookie Tyrese Haliburton.
Analysts and experts have called him a veteran in a rookie's body. He is calm and poise in tough situations and tends to shine in fourth quarters. He is averaging 5.1 assists but just 1.5 turnovers per game. Haliburton is also an excellent shooter, averaging 41% from the three-point line this season.
Key Player - Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes seems to have taken charge of the Sacramento Kings in the absence of De'Aaron Fox.
Coach Luke Walton trusts him with the ball late in games, as Barnes is a battle-tested veteran who won the championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015. Barnes went hot early in the game against the Warriors, dropping 16 points in the first half and going 6-8 from the field, including 4-5 from the three.
Sacramento Kings Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Tyrese Haliburton | Shooting Guard - Buddy Hield | Small Forward - Harrison Barnes | Power Forward - Maurice Harkless | Center - Richaun Holmes.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have overtaken the Portland Trail Blazers for the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
They are expected to climb even further, as they have the second-easiest schedule in the league for the remainder of the season. The Dallas Mavericks have won four of their last six games, including back-to-back victories over reigning champions LA Lakers.
Kristaps Porzingis went down with an ankle injury in their first game against the LA Lakers and didn't return. He has been one of the most injury-prone players in the league and has played just 39 games this season.
Meanwhile, Tim Hardaway Jr. continues to excel off the bench. As a starter, he is averaging 15.5 points per game on 43% shooting from the field, including 38% from the three-point range.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Young Slovenian phenomenon Luka Doncic is the Dallas Mavericks' franchise player and has continued to put up impressive numbers in his third season in the league.
He is averaging 28.5 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game and has had nine triple-doubles this season. Doncic has led the Dallas Mavericks to many victories this season, with his late-game heroics and game-winning buzzer-beaters.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Luka Doncic | Shooting Guard - Tim Hardaway Jr. | Small Forward - Dorian Finney-Smith | Power Forward - Maxi Kleber | Center - Dwight Powell.
Mavericks vs Kings Match Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks are the clear favorites to win this game. The Sacramento Kings aren't known for their defense, so the Mavericks will likely look to take advantage of that.
De'Aaron Fox is absent, so that diminishes the chances of the Sacramento Kings emerging victorious in this game. However, the Mavericks will need to up their perimeter defense to stop Buddy Hield, Harrison Barnes and Tyrese Haliburton from teeing off.
Where to watch the Mavericks vs Kings game?
The Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings game will be locally televised on NBC Sports California and Bally Sports Southwest - Dallas (SW-DAL). The match will also be nationally broadcast on NBA TV and can be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Golden State Warriors vs New Orleans Pelicans game on May 3rd, 2021 to have a superhero-themed telecast, thanks to Marvel and ESPN | 2020-21 NBA Season.