Dallas Mavs GAMEDAY vs. Kings: Preview, Odds and Prediction

The Mavs will again be shorthanded as they try to finish 2021 with a victory.

The Dallas Mavericks are clinging to the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference as they play at Sacramento vs. the Kings for the second time in three days in an early tip off on Friday. The Mavs will again be shorthanded as they try to finish 2021 with a victory. 

Dallas will be without star Luka Doncic (health and safety protocols) for the 10th-straight game. Less than 24 hours after making his Dallas debut, 10-day hardship contract signee Isaiah Thomas also entered health and safety protocols.

Counting Doncic and Thomas, there are eight total Mavs players in protocols that are all out as Dallas tries to steal revenge vs. the Kings. On Wednesday night, Sacramento downed Dallas at the final buzzer, winning 95-94. 

Without several of their offensive players, the Mavs will count on Jalen Brunson, Kristaps Porzingis, and Dorian Finney-Smith.

INJURY REPORT: Mavs: Trey Burke (health and safety protocols) is out; Willie Cauley-Stein (personal reasons) is out; Luka Dončić (health and safety protocols) is out; Tim Hardaway Jr. (health and safety protocols) is out; Maxi Kleber (health and safety protocols) is out; Brandon Knight (health and safety protocols) is out; Boban Marjanović (health and safety protocols) is out; JaQuori McLaughlin (health and safety protocols) is out; Isaiah Thomas (health and safety protocols) is out.

DID YOU KNOW? A missed layup by Mavericks big man Porzingis cost a betting man over $76,000 on a parlay in a brutal betting loss.

RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (16-18) at SACRAMENTO KINGS (15-21)

WHEN: Friday, December 31, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. CT

LOCATION: Golden 1 Center (Sacramento, CA)

TV/RADIO: BSSW/NBA TV, 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL)

ODDS: The Mavs are 1-point favorites vs. the Kings on FanDuel. 

PREDICTION: Mavs win, 105-99

NEXT: The Mavs conclude their five-game road trip vs. OKC on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT. 

LAST WORD: “Those are things that you can’t really blame the guys,” said Porzingis of forward Chimezie Metu being left wide open in the corner to sink the game-winning three to fall 95-94. “Everything went 100 miles per hour on that last play. Just a tough, tough, tough loss.”