Preview: Mavericks host new-look Kings before All-Star break

The Dallas Mavericks have three games remaining before the All-Star break, all at home, with the Sacramento Kings coming to town on Monday night. Both teams underwent significant changes at the trade deadline, and the big return for the Mavericks is already out.

Dallas got a big win on Saturday over the Houston Rockets, but they only had P.J. Washington for the first half and Anthony Davis for the first three quarters. Now, they'll be without Davis for a few weeks due to an adductor strain. They've won two straight games, but they can't get to the All-Star break quick enough, just to get a week off and heal up a little bit.

Sacramento had a lot of moving parts at the trade deadline, sending out De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Alex Len, Colby Jones, and Jordan McLaughlin while bringing in Zach LaVine, Jonas Valanciunas, and Jake LaRavia. For some reason, they saw Lavine pair up with DeMar DeRozan for the last three years on the Chicago Bulls and though that was the consistency they were looking for.

Since Zach LaVine entered the lineup, they've gone 1-2 with losses to the Orlando Magic and surging Portland Trail Blazers and the win coming against the New Orleans Pelicans. They only outscored the Pelicans in the third quarter, but that advantage was enough to carry them in the rest of the game and hold off 40 points from Zion Williamson.

The Kings won the first game between these two in late December, a game that Dallas punted on by rolling out a starting lineup of Jaden Hardy, Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford.