Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson combined for 50 points to lift the Dallas Mavericks past the Sacramento Kings 120-106 on Wednesday night, securing a win in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
Thompson scored 16 of his 23 points in a dominant second quarter that turned a tight game into a rout at Golden 1 Center, exactly one year after his playoff exit in the same building as a Warrior.
Dallas erupted for 44 points in the second quarter behind Thompson’s four made threes, outscoring the Kings by 25 in the period to build a commanding halftime lead.
Davis anchored the Mavericks with 27 points and nine rebounds, efficiently controlling the interior on both ends to push Dallas into Friday’s win-or-go-home matchup at Memphis.
The winner of Friday’s game will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on Sunday.
DeMar DeRozan led Sacramento with 33 points, while Zach LaVine added 20, but the Kings never recovered from Dallas’ second-quarter surge.
The defeat ends a turbulent season for Sacramento, which included the firing of head coach Mike Brown in December and the midseason trade of De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio.
Interim coach Doug Christie closed the year with a 9-17 record after taking over, and the franchise has now missed the playoffs in 18 of the last 19 seasons.
Dallas, which lost Kyrie Irving to a season-ending knee injury after the blockbuster Luka Doncic-for-Davis trade, leaned on a balanced team effort to stay alive.
Brandon Williams contributed 17 points off the bench, and the Mavericks shot 50% from three and 92.3% from the free-throw line.
Sacramento’s defense failed to contain the Mavs’ ball movement and perimeter shooting, conceding 14 made threes on the night and allowing 29 assists.
P.J. Washington added 17 points and nine rebounds for Dallas, while Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford helped control the glass in limited minutes.
With Davis healthy and Thompson regaining his shooting rhythm, the Mavericks will look to extend their postseason life against the Grizzlies.
Memphis finished the regular season with the West’s eighth-best record, but Dallas enters Friday’s game with renewed confidence and playoff experience.
The Kings, meanwhile, enter another offseason of uncertainty, beginning with decisions about their coaching staff and roster direction.
