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AD drops 27 to help keep Mavs' playoff hopes alive (1:25)
Anthony Davis cooks for the Kings for 27 points to lead the Mavericks to a 120-106 play-in win in Sacramento. (1:25)
Associated Press
Apr 17, 2025, 12:52 AM ET
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Klay Thompson scored 16 of his 23 points in Dallas' dominant second quarter to get redemption for his dud here a year ago, helping the Mavericks beat the Sacramento Kings 120-106 on Wednesday night to advance in the play-in tournament.
One year to the day when Thompson missed all 10 shots in his final game for the Golden State Warriors in a play-in loss at Sacramento, Thompson fueled Wednesday's win with four 3-pointers in Dallas' 44-point second quarter. That turned the game into a laugher and kept the Mavericks' chaotic season alive for at least one more game.
Dallas advanced to play at the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night for the chance to get into the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The winner will open the playoffs on Sunday at the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Mavs have undergone a tumultuous season after sending young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a seismic trade that brought Anthony Davis to Dallas and vitriol from the fan base to the organization.
Star point guard Kyrie Irving went down with a season-ending knee injury shortly after that trade, ending any realistic hopes of another deep playoff run for the Mavs after making it to the NBA Finals last season.
But thanks to Thompson's shooting and a strong defensive effort, they still have a shot to make it into the playoffs.
Dallas opened the second quarter with a 20-6 run fueled by back-to-back 3s from Thompson. He hit two more 3s later in the stanza as the Mavs built their lead to 23 points at the half, removing any drama.
Davis led Dallas with 27 points.
DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points for the Kings, and Zach LaVine added 20.
It was a disappointing ending to an underwhelming season for the Kings, who fired coach Mike Brown in December and traded star point guard De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in February. It all led to Sacramento missing the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 campaigns, raising questions about the team's future, starting with the status of interim coach Doug Christie.
