On Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks played a bit of chess with their playoff strategy. They held out some of their key guys in their matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, all in hopes of having them fresh for the Play-In Tournament. It was a bold move considering they were entering the postseason as the 10th seed, facing off against the 9th-seeded Sacramento Kings. To make the playoffs, they needed to win two tough road games.
Sometimes the risk pays off. Despite being listed as probable due to an adductor strain, Anthony Davis was ready to roll, and he was a huge reason the Mavs got the win. Dallas took down Sacramento 120-106, with an insane 44-point second quarter to break it open. Davis put up 27 points, grabbed nine boards, and blocked three shots, playing a big role in the win.
Then, there’s Klay Thompson, who really needed this. After struggling last year, he came out swinging, scoring 16 of his 23 points in that same blazing second quarter. He was locked in, and it made a massive difference. Thompson was the spark that helped the Mavs take control and ultimately secure the victory.
But Davis wasn’t just putting up impressive numbers on the court—he was also stirring up some tension with the Kings fans. Late in the game,Davis made sure to let the crowd know exactly how he felt. With the Kings‘ fans talking a little too much for his liking, AD didn’t hesitate to clap back. He said, “They wanna talk s—, let’s talk s—. Y’all know y’all lost… Y’all might wanna beat that traffic though.”.
Yeah, he said that. Loud and clear.
AD went off on these Kings fans
“They wanna talk s***, let’s talk s***. Y’all know y’all lost… Y’all might wanna beat that traffic though.”
(via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/NL5R6QSSPu
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 17, 2025
This wasn’t your usual calm, collected AD. This was playoff-mode Anthony Davis—fired up, fed up, and feeding off the energy. And while Dallas was locked in, things were crumbling fast on the other side.
Less than an hour after Sacramento got blown out at home by Dallas, Monte McNair was already gone. The GM met with Kings owner Vivek Ranadive right after the final buzzer, and boom—his five-year run ended. “Mutual decision,” sure, but it didn’t feel mutual at all.
The chaos didn’t stop there. They’d already shipped off a franchise star, axed Mike Brown—the guy who finally ended their 16-year playoff drought—and now they’re GM shopping again. Just when you thought the Kings had figured things out, here comes another reset. As a fan, I get how frustrating this is. It’s like they hit the gas in 2023, only to slam reverse in 2025.
Scott Perry, who had a quick Sacramento stint in 2017, is a frontrunner. Calvin Booth’s name is floating too. Doug Christie wants to stay as head coach, but hasn’t gotten any green light yet.
McNair? He didn’t even want to fire Brown or trade De’Aaron Fox. Ownership clearly took the wheel. He gave one last speech to the players before walking out. Now, the Kings? Right back in no man’s land. Again.
Meanwhile, Dallas is cooking up something different.
Don’t count the Mavs with Anthony Davis, out just yet
The Mavericks, who got grilled all season for flipping Luka Doncic to the Lakers, just handled business against Sacramento. With a convincing 120-106 win, they punched their ticket to Friday’s Western Conference play-in finale, where the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies await. The winner moves on to face the league-best Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14). As for the Kings? They’re done and headed back to the coaching carousel after axing Mike Brown in December.
What really turned heads wasn’t just the win—it was how Dallas did it. Nico Harrison, under fire since February, might finally be seeing his defensive blueprint click. Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford turned the paint into a no-fly zone.
Apr 2, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts in front of Atlanta Hawks guard Terance Mann (14) during the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
They erased driving lanes, contested everything inside, and forced Sacramento to rely on low-percentage looks. Domantas Sabonis couldn’t get it going, managing just 11 points on 5-of-13 from the field. The Mavs racked up eight blocks and nine steals, showing off just how disruptive this unit can be when it locks in.
But defense alone didn’t carry the night. With Davis still ramping up early, it was the supporting cast that kept things rolling. Brandon Williams cooked off the bench—17 points on eight shots, including 3-of-4 from deep, plus five assists and zero turnovers. P.J. Washington added 17 and hit the boards hard.
To beat the Grizzlies, Dallas doesn’t just need size—they need another team-wide effort. And if Wednesday was any sign, they might have more than just a puncher’s chance.
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