On a night when the national spotlight shone on two teams struggling to find their footing, the Dallas Mavericks eked out a thrilling 100-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. While the records may not have promised fireworks—Dallas sitting at 13-23 and Sacramento at 8-28 before tipoff—fans were treated to a contest brimming with drama, late-game heroics, and a glimpse of the NBA’s next wave of stars.
The Kings, desperate to snap a five-game losing streak, came out of the gate firing. Sacramento surged to an early 10-point lead, capitalizing on Dallas’s slow start and the energy of a home crowd hungry for something to cheer about. But if the Kings thought they’d cruise to victory, the Mavericks had other ideas. Dallas weathered the storm, chipping away at the deficit with a series of small runs that kept the game within reach. Every time the Mavericks closed the gap, Sacramento responded, pushing the lead back up and keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
It was the third quarter where the tide truly began to turn. Dallas outscored Sacramento 30-20 in the frame, flipping the script and setting up a nail-biting finish. As the fourth quarter unfolded, both teams traded blows in a back-and-forth sequence that had the national audience—tuning in on Peacock—wondering who would blink first.
With just 1:20 left on the clock, Dallas seized a two-point advantage. The Kings’ DeMar DeRozan, who led his squad with 21 points, answered with a clutch three-pointer, giving Sacramento renewed hope. But Mavericks rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, undaunted by the moment, responded with a slick spin move at the rim, reclaiming the lead for Dallas. DeRozan wasn’t done yet, draining a midrange jumper to once again put the Kings ahead. The Mavericks, refusing to wilt, came right back with a three-pointer of their own. The closing moments saw Sacramento miss two chances from beyond the arc, and Dallas, after missing a pair of free throws, held their breath as DeRozan launched a potential game-winner at the buzzer. The shot missed its mark, sealing a one-point win for the Mavericks.
“This was a pretty fun back and forth sequence,” one local analyst noted, capturing the energy of a game that far exceeded expectations for teams at the bottom of the standings.
The Kings, despite the loss, saw strong performances up and down the roster. DeRozan’s 21 points led the way, while Zach LaVine poured in 20. Maxime Raynaud, a bright spot in an otherwise challenging season, contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds over 35 minutes. Off the bench, Dennis Schroder chipped in with 11 points and 9 assists, providing a steadying presence during critical stretches.
For the Mavericks, the win was more than just a mark in the W column—it was a showcase for Cooper Flagg, the rookie forward who’s rapidly becoming one of the NBA’s most talked-about young talents. Flagg’s late-game heroics were just the latest chapter in a debut season that has him climbing the All-Star voting charts. As of January 6, 2026, Flagg had leapt to 16th place in Western Conference fan voting for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, collecting 236,182 votes. That’s a remarkable rise for a player who wasn’t even in the top 20 just a week earlier. Even more impressively, Flagg is the only rookie to appear on the All-Star voting leaderboard, a testament to his impact and the excitement he’s generated among fans.
Flagg’s numbers speak for themselves. Averaging 18.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on 47.6% shooting through 35 contests, he ranks second among rookies in scoring and is one of only two first-year players to have notched three 30-point games this season. While the odds of a rookie earning an All-Star nod are long—only 45 have done so in league history, and none since Blake Griffin in 2011—Flagg is a virtual lock for the Rising Stars Game during the All-Star weekend in Inglewood, California. Fan voting for the main event runs through January 14, and the league is expected to announce starting lineups soon after.
For Sacramento, the loss was yet another blow in what’s felt like a season from hell. Earlier in the day, the team announced that Keegan Murray would miss at least three to four weeks with an ankle injury, joining Domantas Sabonis on the sidelines. To make matters worse, the Kings’ roster remains awash in trade rumors, with uncertainty swirling around nearly every corner. “It feels like the entire organization is just treading water until the February 5th trade deadline,” one frustrated fan remarked, echoing the sentiment of a fanbase eager for change—or at least some clarity on the team’s direction.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, face their own share of off-court intrigue. The franchise has made an in-season trade for seven straight years, and all signs point to an eighth consecutive deal as the NBA’s February 5 trade deadline approaches. This year, the Mavericks’ front office is in flux, operating with two interim general managers and no permanent GM in place. That hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from churning: as of January 6, the Toronto Raptors remained interested in Dallas big man Anthony Davis, while the Atlanta Hawks and Mavericks found themselves at a stalemate over a potential deal involving Davis and former top pick Zaccharie Risacher. The Mavericks have reportedly shown no interest in acquiring Trae Young, meaning any trade would hinge on other players and assets.
“The range of outcomes is far and wide,” a Mavericks insider observed, noting the uncertainty that comes with a front office in transition and a roster in need of tweaks. While the Hawks are reluctant to part with Risacher, Dallas is said to be targeting Atlanta’s 2026 first-round pick, originally sent to the Hawks by New Orleans. Whether the Mavericks can pull off a blockbuster remains to be seen, but history suggests they won’t stand pat as the deadline looms.
As both teams look ahead, the Mavericks can savor a hard-fought win and the emergence of a rookie sensation in Flagg, while the Kings are left to regroup and hope for better days once the roster gets healthy and the trade dust settles. With the All-Star break and trade deadline fast approaching, the NBA’s spotlight will only get brighter on these teams—ready or not.
