SACROMENTO, CA – Klay Thompson scored 16 of 23 points in Dallas’ dominant second quarter due to his DUD’s redemption a year ago in Sacramento, helping him beat the Kings 120-106 to advance to the play-in tournament on Wednesday night.
In a year on the day Thompson missed all 10 shots in his final Golden State match with a play-in loss in Sacramento, Thompson promoted the victory with four three-pointers in the second quarter of Dallas.
That turned the game into laughter and kept the Mavericks’ chaotic season alive for at least one more game.
Dallas went on to play for Memphis on Friday night, giving him the chance to join the playoffs as the eighth seed in the west.
The winner of that game will open the playoffs at top-seeded Oklahoma City on Sunday.
MAV has entered a turbulent season after swapping young superstar Luka Donsic with the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis in the seismic trade that took the organization from the fanbase to Dallas and Vitriol.
Starpoint guard Kyrie Irving ended his realistic hopes for another deep playoff run after falling short of that deal with a season-ending knee injury, reaching the NBA Finals last season.
But thanks to Thompson’s shooting and strong defensive efforts, they still have the shots to enter the playoffs.
Dallas opened the second quarter, with a 20-6 run fueled by a back-to-back 3S from Thompson.
Thompson hit two more three seconds in the quarter as the Mavs built a lead of 23 points in the half and deleted the drama.
Davis led Dallas with 27 points. Demar Derozan scored 33 points for the king, while Zach Lavine added 20.
It was a disappointing end for the Kings, who fired manager Mike Brown in December and traded star point guard Daron Fox for San Antonio in February.
It all raised questions about the team’s future, starting with interim coach Doug Christie’s status, when Sacramento missed the 18th playoffs in 19 seasons.
