Kings dominate Mavericks, 122-98, after Kyrie Irving leaves with knee injury

The Mavericks had no chance after two guards left the game with injury.

Mar 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives to the basket past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks ended a three-game home stand by hosting the Sacramento Kings on Monday night. Dallas is still dealing with a damaged frontcourt as Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, and Caleb Martin all missed the game, but Sacramento was also missing Domantas Sabonis.

With those players out, Dallas started Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, Klay Thompson, Kessler Edwards, and Dwight Powell, while Sacramento rolled out Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Keegan Murray, and Jonas Valanciunas.

READ MORE: Kyrie Irving suffers serious injury in Mavericks-Kings

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving is helped off the court by forward Naji Marshall (13) and forward Anthony Davis (3) during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Sacramento got off to a hot start, making five of the first six shots as the Kings got out to an 11-4 lead. But they wasted their challenge early on a foul that sent Kai Jones to the line, who was Dallas' first sub off the bench. Dallas just couldn't make anything on offense, starting the game 3/9 from the floor with three turnovers.

Jones' athleticism made a huge impact immediately down low, able to block shots and fly over defenders for lob opportunities. But then Kyrie Irving went down, spraining his knee and crumpling to the ground. He'd stay in the game to legendarily hit the free throws, but he'd be helped back to the locker room and would be ruled out soon after. Dallas kept the game close for the rest of the quarter, but the Kings took a 27-24 lead into the second.

The Kings started the second on a 7-0 run to build the lead to 10, closed off by a hook shot from Keegan Murray. Back-to-back threes by the Mavs got them back into the game, but the Kings kept them at arm's length for most of the quarter, with Zach LaVine as the main offensive initiator. But the Mavs kept going to Kai Jones on lobs, who had 13 points in the first half, his career-high for a game.

But after the Mavs cut the lead down to five, the Kings had another 7-0 stretch behind DeRozan and Keegan Murray to lead by 12 before they took a 60-50 lead into halftime.

READ MORE: Kyrie Irving channels Kobe Bryant, Klay Thompson after suffering injury in Mavs-Kings

Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine (8) looks to move the ball past Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Mavericks had two buckets in the first 2:25 of the second half to get the lead back into single digits, but then Jaden Hardy went down with an ankle injury, the same ankle he's sprained twice already this season. The Kings went on a 16-0 run around that, and all of a sudden, it was a 25-point game. There was no energy in the arena due to all of the injuries, and the Mavs scored just more points for the rest of the quarter. Sacramento took a 92-64 lead into the final frame. Dallas shot just 5/19 from the floor in the third.

The game was out of reach by that point. Sacramento went up by 30, and the Mavericks were playing with a skeleton crew and without any motivation. Naji Marshall was the only one capable of producing any offense for the Mavs in the fourth, as he was scoring and dropping off assists to Kai Jones. But they were never going to close close enough to make this a game after going down 30, and the Kings would go on to win 122-98.

Dallas didn't have much of a chance to win after Irving and Hardy left the game, but it doesn't help that they shot 7/26 (26.9%) from three while the Kings were 16/34 (47.1%). Sacramento also completes the season sweep of the Mavs with this win.

Kai Jones actually led the Mavericks in scoring in his first game as a Mav and just hours after being signed, putting up a career-high in points with 21 while adding in 9 rebounds. Naji Marshall was the only other Mavs in double figures with 18 until the end of the game, when Max Christie (10 points) and Spencer Dinwiddie (10 points) broke the barrier as well.

The Kings were led by Zach LaVine's 22 points, but all five starters were in double figures: DeMar DeRozan (20 points), Keegan Murray (18 points), Jonas Valanciunas (14 points, 9 rebounds), and Malik Monk (13 points).

Dallas travels to Milwaukee for a rematch against the Bucks on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Mavericks unbelievably suffer another injury against Kings

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