Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacramento Kings: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/10/2023

Time: 10 p.m. ET

Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA

Where to watch: NBCSCA, Bally Sports SW-DAL

DraftKings: Kings -1.5

FanDuel: Kings -1.5

BetMGM: Kings -1.5

Caesars: Kings -1.5

Mavs: 30-26

Kings: 31-23

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Mavs: won 110-104 at Clippers

Kings: won 130-128 at Rockets

Whether it be Friday or Saturday, the optimism of seeing Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving together on the basketball court is tantalizing for the Dallas Mavericks, especially with how Irving’s debut in Los Angeles panned out. But now with the Mavs adding their big trade acquisition in Irving, there are major expectations in Dallas this year despite the arms race getting weirder in the wake of the last 72 hours. Dallas heads to Sacramento for a baseball series against the Kings starting on Friday.

Irving’s debut in Dallas, with a short turnaround of just one practice, was exhilarating in its own right after a 110-104 victory over the Clippers on Wednesday. Irving finished with 24 points, four rebounds and five assists to lead the Mavs in scoring. He also had five turnovers, but that’s to be expected given he was the only viable scoring option. Tim Hardaway Jr., who surprisingly was not traded Thursday, had 19 points on 7 of 16 shooting, and Reggie Bullock hit six 3-pointers to finish with 18 points.

All of this came without Doncic, who missed his third straight game with a heel contusion. He was upgraded to questionable for Friday but at the very worst, he could make his return Tuesday at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"It feels good just to get acclimated," Irving said. "I'm just grateful I got to play the game that I love with some guys that were selfless out there. It just feels good."

After going 0-7 without Doncic in games this year, the Mavs have won two straight dating back to that impressive win in Utah on Monday. The Mavs have seen a two-game sample size with young guards Josh Green and Jaden Hardy to ensure they might get more playing time as this run develops. Time will tell, but both are making an impact to this point to where it could change the complexion of how this team looks heading into the playoffs.

But the surprising Kings have done a tremendous job in the first year under coach Mike Brown. At 31-23 and third in the Western Conference, Sacramento has been the biggest surprise to this point in the NBA. The Kings are coming off a 130-128 win over the Houston Rockets to cap off a seven-game road trip in which they went 4-3.

De’Aaron Fox had a team-high 31 points and 11 assists, barely outdueling Houston’s Jalen Green and his game-high 41 points, and Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and nine rebounds to complete the baseball sweep of a team in the Rockets that made no sense in what they were doing at the trade deadline on Thursday. Fox drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 0.3 seconds left to get the victory.

"I feel like I'm a better free-throw shooter than in the past," he noted. "Going to the line with the game on the line, especially with 0.3 seconds left, I really knew I need two. I tried to miss the third one (with a one-point lead)."

The Kings have failed to cover in five of their last eight but are favored by 1.5 points in this one, likely due to the uncertain status of Doncic. If he goes, though, I’d expect the money to flip in Dallas’ way.

I don’t want to think the Mavs’ defensive performance against the Clippers was a fluke. They stifled Paul George and Kawhi Leonard for a majority of that game. Even Kyrie was playing defense. You’d like to see that continue, especially with Green getting more minutes. Mavs 114, Kings 110

Mavs are 3-12 ATS after winning 4 or 5 of their last 6 this season.

Mavs are 8-19 ATS off a win this season.

Kings are 19-6 ATS off an over this season.

PG: Luka Doncic

SG: Kyrie Irving

SF: Tim Hardaway Jr.

PF: Reggie Bullock

C: Dwight Powell

PG: De'Aaron Fox

SG: Kevin Huerter

SF: Harrison Barnes

PF: Keegan Murray

C: Domantas Sabonis

Injury report

Mavs: Luka Doncic (heel, questionable), Davis Bertans (calf, out), Maxi Kleber (hamstring, out)

Kings: None

Points: Luka Doncic -- 33.4

Rebounds: Luka Doncic -- 8.9

Assists: Luka Doncic -- 8.2

Points: De'Aaron Fox -- 24.2

Rebounds: Domantas Sabonis -- 12.2

Assists: Domantas Sabonis -- 7.0