DeMar DeRozan's Monster Game Leads Kings Over Mavericks

The Sacramento Kings escaped Dallas with a 129-128 win as DeMar DeRozan outduels Kyrie Irving

Feb 10, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) looks to move to the basket past Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (0) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It wasn't pretty, but the Sacramento Kings found a way to squeak out a 129-128 overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks thanks to DeMar DeRozan's 42 points.

The Kings struggled with turnovers once again in this one, finishing the night with 20 giveaways that led to 36 Dallas points, but they cleaned it up down the stretch to take care of business in the fourth quarter and overtime.

DeMar DeRozan was unstoppable all night. It wasn't just that he scored 42 points, but how efficiently he got to that mark.

DeMar DeRozan in the 129-128 win over the Mavs

42 Points
7 Rebounds
3 Assists
15/22 (68.2%) FG
4/6 (66.7%) 3P
8/8 FT

Game tying shot to send it to over time.
Game winning shot with 1.6 left pic.twitter.com/rAqWxivDmL

— Will Z. Stats (@will_zimmerle) February 11, 2025

He finished the night 15-of-22, 68.2%, from the field, 4-of-6, 66.7%, from three, and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line. He made the smart play time and time again, finishing with just one turnover on a night where that was the issue for the Kings.

DeRozan reminded everyone why he's known as one of the best clutch players in the game, hitting both the game-tying shot to send it to overtime and then the go-ahead floater to put the Kings ahead with two seconds to go.

Kyrie Irving did his best to spoil DeRozan's big night, but the Kings applied great defensive pressure down the stretch to limit the newly appointed All-Star. Irving finished 11-of-25, 44%, from the field and 2-of-7, 28.6%, from beyond the arc, numbers that the Kings will surely live with anytime they go up against the talented point guard.

While DeRozan will get the headlines, Doug Christie had arguably the best-coached game of his young coaching career. He went with a double-big lineup of Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valančiūnas when the Kings fell behind in the fourth, and the size helped the Kings pull back even before Valančiūnas fouled out.

In the final minutes, Christie brought players in and out of the rotation to manipulate matchups on both sides of the ball. Nearly every decision he made paid off as the Kings were able to get timely stops and clutch buckets to seal the much needed win.

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