DALLAS, Texas — The Dallas Mavericks showed flashes of offensive production Tuesday night but couldn’t put together a complete performance, falling 115-100 to the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center.
Despite the 15-point defeat, Dallas received significant contributions from several players, including Daniel Gafford and rookie Walter Clayton Jr., who each finished with 20 points.
Gafford delivered one of his most efficient performances of the season, shooting 9-of-10 from the field and converting both free throws. He finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot. It was his second consecutive game scoring at least 18 points after posting 18 against Houston on Oct. 30.
The Mavericks center also continued an impressive defensive streak, recording at least one block in each of Dallas’ first seven games. It marks the first time in his career he has opened a season with a seven-game streak of recording a block.
Clayton Jr. provided another offensive spark, matching his career high with 20 points in a reserve role. He connected on 6-of-9 attempts from the floor, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, while making all four free throws. It was just the third 20-point performance of his career.
Rookie Morez Johnson Jr. also made the most of his opportunities, establishing a new career high with 13 points. He was perfect from the field, connecting on all five attempts in 17 minutes.
Cooper Flagg finished with 17 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals. The rookie was particularly effective at the free-throw line, converting all 11 attempts. The performance established a career high for free throws made without a miss in a single game.
Dallas continued to produce offensively, reaching the 100-point mark for the seventh consecutive game. The accomplishment also marked the seventh time in franchise history the Mavericks opened a season with at least 100 points in each of their first seven contests.
The Mavericks found additional opportunities through their work on the offensive glass. Dallas collected 10 offensive rebounds and turned those opportunities into 22 second-chance points, doubling Sacramento’s 10.
However, the production wasn’t enough to overcome Sacramento’s offensive attack. Malik Monk led the Kings with a season-high 24 points, shooting 9-of-14 from the floor and knocking down five 3-pointers.
For Dallas, the individual performances offered some encouraging signs, particularly from its younger players. But the final result underscored the need for greater consistency across four quarters.
The Mavericks will look to regroup and address those issues as they continue their early-season schedule.
