Why the Kings' First Win of the Year Over Mavericks Wasn't a Fluke

The Sacramento Kings finally did it! The 0-82 jokes can finally stop after the Sacramento Kings took down the Dallas Mavericks 115-100 in exciting fashion. It was the best game by far for the Kings, who looked like a completely different team tonight in their most well-rounded game so far.

Darius Acuff Jr., who has been in all the headlines lately, led the way with 25 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds, but it was a team effort tonight for Sacramento, more so than we've seen to date with this roster. Zach LaVine had 23 points on an efficient 8-of-14 from the field and 5-of-9 from three. Sabonis only scored 9 points, but he was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and added seven points and four assists, as well as screens once again throughout the game.

But it was the bench that really showed out tonight, as they finished with a combined 46 points on 16-of-27 (59%) from the field and 12-of-20 (60%) from three. Malik Monk had 24 points and 7 assists, Emanuel Sharp had nine points by making all three of his three-point attempts, and Leaky Black had a breakout performance with 12 points, 4 steals, and 3 rebounds.

A New Rotational Piece?

Monk and Sharp having huge games off the bench is one thing, but Black coming in and playing 24:38 minutes is a huge boost for this team. And it's his surprise contribution that makes this game so exciting for Sacramento and not a fluke.

The Kings' bench has been rough lately, and Doug Christie is clearly searching for something. Nique Clifford is barely in the rotation, and even Daeqwon Plowden, who was getting solid minutes to start the year, is seeing his playing time disappear.

Leaky Black with a massive role:

12 points
4/6 3PT
4 STEALS!

Absolute lock-down, dog. pic.twitter.com/Bkxhir5yyG
— Kings Lead (@KingsLeadSM) November 3, 2026

The door is open for Black to step into a prominent role off the bench, and at 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-11.5 wingspan, he brings more size than Clifford and Plowden, and tonight, at least, he brought it on both sides of the ball.

Defense And 3P Shooting?

Nov 2, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) and Sacramento Kings forward Leaky Black (19) and guard Emanuel Sharp (34) battle for the loose ball during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just like with everything else in this game, this was by far the best the Kings' defense has looked all season. A big part of that was Sharp and Black off the bench, but Sacramento as a team brought more intensity tonight.

That led to way too many free throws for the Mavs (29-of-35), but it feels like the Kings being overly physical right now is a better alternative to getting pushed around.

And throw in that the Kings outshot the Mavericks 19 to 7? It didn't feel like this was allowed coming into the game.

What makes this game feel so encouraging for Sacramento, even after a 0-6 start to precede it, is that it feels repeatable. The Kings didn't rely on Acuff or LaVine catching fire and scoring 40+ or Sabonis getting a massive triple-double. It was a team effort with emphasis on three-point shooting and defense. It may not be sustainable and lead to a a ton of wins, but at least we know now that it can be done. The Kings can indeed put toghether a full game. Now we just have to see if they can do it again.

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