After winning Western Conference Player of the Month honors for February, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic appears intent on retaining the title.
Doncic has averaged 33 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his last two games for the surging Mavericks, who will face the visiting Sacramento Kings on Saturday.
Dallas has moved 13 games over .500 after winning nine of its last 11, including back-to-back victories to start this month against the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
Doncic had 41 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in Thursday’s 122-113 win over Golden State as the Mavericks beat the Warriors for the second time in five days.
The three-time All-Star scored 19 points in the first quarter on Thursday and fell just shy of his 10th triple-double of the season.
“It’s incredible what he’s done here in the last month of February, and then continued to start the month of March off playing well,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s playing at a high level for us, and it also just shows (Player of the Month) is a team award, too, because they’re not going to give it to someone whose team isn’t winning.”
Doncic has averaged 27.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 11 career games against Sacramento. He missed the last two meetings due to health and safety protocol.
Sacramento bounced back from a 30-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday with a 115-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.
Sacramento led by as many as 19 in the third quarter before holding on for the much-needed victory. The Kings began the weekend behind the Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers and Spurs in the battle for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
Harrison Barnes scored 27 points against the Spurs while De’Aaron Fox added 26. Domantas Sabonis contributed 12 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
“This is a really good win for us, and it’s a team we’re trying to chase down to get in a playoff situation,” Kings interim coach Alvin Gentry said. “The fact that we gave up a 19-point lead and still had enough focus and enough drive to get over the hump, I thought that was really good for us.”
Barnes is averaging 20.7 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 54.1 percent from the field over the past six games for the Kings, who will conclude a five-game trip Saturday.
Sacramento center Richaun Holmes has missed the last five games due to a back soreness and is listed as day-to-day.
The Kings have dropped two of their first three meetings this season against Dallas, including 112-96 on Dec. 31.
Dorian Finney-Smith has provided a spark for the Mavericks of late. He made four 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in Thursday’s win over Golden State.
Dallas also has received a boost from guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who has settled in after being acquired from the Washington Wizards on Feb. 10. The eight-year pro scored 17 points Thursday and is averaging 18.8 points over his last four games.
“I’m not surprised,” Doncic said. … “He’s a great player, and he’s a great fit for us.”
–Field Level Media
