Mavs vs. Kings Preview: Luka Doncic Says ‘No Thank You’ to Tanking

The Dallas Mavericks host the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday evening. Luka Doncic is probable to play.

Luka Doncic understands the Dallas Mavericks' current plight in regards to draft positioning, but he refuses to sit for the sake of tanking.

Doncic responded to rumors of Dallas potentially shutting down him down for the remainder of the season to maximize its chances of keeping its top-10 protected pick. With play-in hopes still alive, expect Doncic to suit up vs. the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. 

"There's little chance," Doncic said. "We all know that, but like I said, as long as there's a chance, I'll play."

Speaking of chances, Dallas has a shot at capitalizing on the Kings' fatigues as they play their second game in as many nights. Beating down the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday leaves them with 48 wins; Sacramento hasn't achieved a 50-win season since 2005. 

While Dallas has fallen far from preseason expectations, Wednesday night has spoiler potential. Pace and rebounding could set the table for a victory that would keep the Mavs’ playoff hopes alive. With Doncic in the lineup, it's like an ode to the old school, as he methodically gets to his spot, causing Dallas' pace to drop. The Kings, however, get out on the break like a kid leaving class for the summer.   

The Mavs must do the job collectively in the rebounding department, as they lack an imposing presence in the paint. Conversely, the Kings have Domantis Sabonis, a rebounding machine. Against the Mavs this season, he averaged 12.5 rebounds in two contests.

As the adage goes, "players don't tank." Doncic is another example of an athlete refusing to care about lottery odds. Only one game separates them from the Oklahoma City Thunder in play-in eligibility. 

Mavericks vs. Kings Injury Report

Dallas Mavericks

• Luka Doncic (PROBABLE - thigh)
• Kyrie Irving (PROBABLE - foot)

Sacramento Kings

Matthew Dellavedova (OUT - finger)

RECORDS: Dallas Mavericks (37-42), Sacramento Kings (48-31)

WHERE: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

WHEN: Wednesday, Apr. 5, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. CT

TV: Bally Sports Southwest, League Pass

RADIO: 97.1 The Freak

ODDS: The Mavs are six-point favorites over the Kings.

NEXT UP: The Mavs play the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

FINAL WORD: Leadership is more than playing great, and unfortunately for Dallas, Luka Doncic might need some improvement in that department.

With the accumulation of technical fouls, a lack of defensive consistency, and his overall disposition on the court as of late, Doncic doesn't help the criticism he receives. Tim Hardaway Sr. recently spoke out against the Irving trade and flat-out stated Doncic isn't a leader. 

Whether he's right or not, the optics are still bad regardless. However, all is not lost, as Doncic is young and sees the issues. He just has to have the resolve to fix the problems now.

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Dallas Mavericks? Click Here.

Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter and Facebook.