Sad news for Dallas Mavericks ahead of their clash

3 things to think about before the Dallas Mavericks take on the Sacramento Kings

The Mavericks face off against the Kings one more time.

The Dallas Mavericks will take on the Sacramento Kings one more time Friday night, marking their last trip of the season to Sacramento. They demolished the Kings on Tuesday, winning 132-96. They need another win to keep pace in the highly competitive West. Things are so tight in the Western Conference that we likely won’t find out where the Mavericks land until the rapidly approaching last week of the season. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with a Standings Watch so you’re up on the latest playoff scenarios.

But back to this game. It’s a big one, because the Kings and Mavericks are jostling for playoff position in the same neighborhood. When things are this tight in the standings, head-to-head records matter. A win is huge for that reason, but also because the Mavericks have been bad against teams with a record better than .500 season. On the eve of the postseason, they need to show they can hang with the best of the West.

The Kings will be rested this time around

In the first matchup on Tuesday, both teams were on the second night of a back-to-back. But the Kings were especially weary, having played five games in seven nights. This game, they’ll be on two days rest and at home for the second game in a row. The Mavericks, meanwhile played only three games in that same stretch. This time both teams’ energy will be around the same level. Dallas can’t come out sluggish, because it might let Sacramento build a big lead early.

Will the Mavericks’ hot shooting continue?

NBA: Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings

The Mavericks shot an incredible 56 percent from behind the arc on Tuesday. That’s likely not going to happen again, but will they hit above 40 percent of their three’s? They’ve been cold from deep for a few weeks lately, yet it hasn’t stopped them from winning. If they add accurate 3-point shooting to the tough defense and consistent attacks at the rim to their formula, they’ll be a tough out for any team.

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