The Dallas Mavericks suffered one of their more disheartening losses of a difficult season Thursday night, falling 130-121 to the Sacramento Kings — the team with the worst record in the NBA — at American Airlines Center. The loss dropped Dallas to 21-37, extended their home losing streak to six games, and left them with just two wins in their last 13 outings.
Naji Marshall delivered a historically remarkable individual performance, finishing with 36 points on 14-of-23 shooting, 10 rebounds, and six assists — becoming just the third undrafted player since 1983-84 to record 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a game, joining Austin Reaves and Amir Coffey. He also joined Luka Dončić as the only other Maverick to record a 35-10-5 line since Dirk Nowitzki did it in 2009. It wasn’t enough.
Precious Achiuwa posted a career-high 29 points and 12 rebounds, Maxime Raynaud added 22 points, and Sacramento completed a 7-0 closing run to seal a result that will sting in Dallas for days.
Dallas Mavericks Stuck in Quicksand Early
The Kings wasted no time establishing their intentions. Sacramento outscored Dallas 42-28 in the first quarter, with Achiuwa nearly single-handedly setting the tone — he scored 14 of those points and hauled in seven rebounds in the period alone, including a three-pointer at the buzzer off a Killian Hayes assist that pushed the lead to 42-28.
Marshall was the lone bright spot, scoring 23 of the Mavericks’ 28 first-quarter points across a dizzying variety of buckets — driving layups, a step-back jumper, free throws — doing everything he could to keep Dallas afloat while the Kings pushed and ran and did essentially whatever they wanted.
“Way too many points in the first,” Kidd said. “But after the first I thought we settled in defensively. We gave up 76 points in the paint and I think 15 offensive rebounds. We have to be better — getting the rebound and getting out and running. We just didn’t do that on a consistent basis tonight.”
Marshall was more measured when reflecting on the early hole.
“It wasn’t that difficult,” Marshall said of the comeback effort. “Just locked in, played basketball the way we know how, and the game got simple.”
Naji Marshall Stays Aggressive to Rally Dallas Mavericks Back
Dallas made lineup changes to open the second quarter, inserting A.J. Johnson for Brandon Williams, and the 22-year-old immediately provided energy — knocking down a running layup and converting the free throw to complete a three-point play that sparked brief hope. Johnson would finish with 11 points on a perfect 4-of-4 from the field in 15 minutes, his best outing as a Maverick.
But Sacramento had an answer of their own off the bench. Drew Eubanks, given the start in place of the injured Domantas Sabonis, scored 11 points in just 10 minutes on 5-of-6 shooting, including a dunk and a free throw that pushed the lead to 18. He was one of four Kings to score in double figures off bench minutes.
Marshall remained relentless, adding a three-pointer, an offensive rebound and putback, and a running layup as the Mavericks chipped away. A Caleb Martin steal and a Marshall layup trimmed the deficit to 66-56 late in the half, but a Carter buzzer-beater dunk off an Achiuwa steal pushed the Kings’ halftime advantage back to 68-56.
The Mavericks went into the break shooting 56.4% from the field — and still trailed by 12.
Within Three, Then the Floor Falls Out
The third quarter was a story of cruel momentum swings. Dallas opened with renewed urgency — a Marvin Bagley III dunk, Middleton free throws, and a Max Christie triple off a Marshall assist cut the deficit to 72-69 inside the first three minutes. The crowd at American Airlines Center came alive.
Then Sacramento detonated a 14-2 run. The Kings capitalized on a Williams turnover, a Middleton travel, and the sheer force of their offensive rebounding — Carter’s tip-in dunk was one of several second-chance scores that kept the Mavericks from ever truly wrestling control. Dallas continued to fight back in waves, with Klay Thompson hitting a three, Marshall adding a pullup, and Martin converting a layup and a corner triple to get the deficit back down to seven at various points.
But Sacramento answered every charge. Daeqwon Plowden, who finished with a career-high 19 points on 7-of-7 shooting including three threes, hit back-to-back triples in the third to repeatedly push the margin back out. The quarter ended 100-88 Kings on a Hayes layup.
123-121, Then Nothing
The fourth quarter produced the game’s most compelling — and ultimately most agonizing — sequence. Johnson knocked down a three off a Middleton assist, Middleton hit a turnaround jumper, and Williams drilled a triple off a Marshall dish to cut it to 118-114. Then Marshall drew a foul, made one of two, and Williams completed a three-point play to close it to 123-121 with 1:56 remaining. The building was electric.
That’s when Sacramento made every play that mattered.
Achiuwa grabbed an offensive rebound with the shot clock nearly expired and converted to push it back to 125-121. Achiuwa then stole a Middleton pass, and Plowden buried a 22-foot three-pointer with 51.9 seconds left to put it effectively out of reach at 128-121. Marshall’s shot was blocked by Achiuwa, Nique Clifford scored on the other end with 22.7 seconds remaining to seal it at 130-121, and it was over.
“Turnovers,” Kidd said of the late-game collapse. “We missed shots, didn’t take care of the ball, and they capitalized. Sacramento was good tonight — give them credit. They played hard.”
Dallas committed 17 turnovers. Sacramento held a 15-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. Those two figures tell most of the story.
Naji Marshall Joins Dallas Mavericks Royalty in a Loss
Whatever stings about this defeat, Marshall’s performance deserves to stand alone. His 36-10-6 line was the kind of game that gets etched into franchise history regardless of the outcome. It was his first career 30-point, 10-rebound game and his seventh career 30-point performance — all as a Maverick, two points shy of his career high. He joined Dončić, Nowitzki, Jim Jackson, Mark Aguirre, Sam Perkins and Jason Kidd as the only players in Mavericks franchise history to record 35-10-5 in a single game. He also became the 16th player this season to reach those numbers league-wide, and one of just three non-All-Stars to do so alongside Austin Reaves and Stephon Castle.
Marshall kept it characteristically understated when asked what was clicking.
“Just getting to the paint,” Marshall said. “I felt comfortable getting to my shot, and my teammates were slicing the defense and finding me.”
The versatility of his game — pulling up off the dribble, spinning in traffic, getting to the line — was on full display throughout. Asked whether he prefers playing with the ball in his hands, Marshall shrugged off the premise entirely.
“It doesn’t matter,” Marshall said. “Whatever they need me to do, I could just do it.”
Kidd, watching a player who has quietly shouldered enormous offensive responsibility with so many teammates sidelined, put it in sharp relief.
“If healthy, I don’t know if he’s gonna play 42 minutes,” Kidd said. “But shorthanded, he’s taken full advantage of his minutes. His ability to get into the paint and finish, get to the free throw line — he led the team in rebounds. He’s doing it all.”
There was also the moment in the fourth quarter when Marshall drilled a driving dunk and sprinted past the Kings’ bench in a burst of emotion. He was diplomatic when asked about what he said.
“I don’t remember,” Marshall said, smiling. “It was just me feeding off the game — it really wasn’t directed at anybody. Just emotion from how the game was going. It was random.”
Kidd offered a more expansive take on what makes Marshall tick.
“That’s just who he is,” Kidd said. “That’s the character of Naji. He just competes, and he did that tonight at a high level.”
When asked about the biggest area of growth in Marshall’s game, Kidd pointed to something philosophical rather than physical.
“Just the understanding that being boring is cool,” Kidd said. “And he’s doing that at a high level right now.”
Marshall, for his part, embraced the label without hesitation.
“Just doing what I know best and sticking with it,” Marshall said. “It’s working for me, so I just continue to do that. Over and over might be boring, but as long as it works and it’s working for the team, I’ll just keep doing it.”
The New Guys Arrive, But For How Long?
The four players acquired in the February 5th trade that sent Anthony Davis to Washington all made their Dallas debuts Thursday. Middleton led the group with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including two three-pointers, and added five rebounds. For a Mavericks team missing Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain, fifth straight absence), Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II, Middleton’s steadying presence was exactly what Kidd had hoped for.
The performance came with an asterisk, however. Sources told DallasHoopsJournal.com that Middleton could still be bought out before Saturday’s March 1 deadline, potentially allowing him to sign with a playoff contender. The clock is ticking on whether Thursday’s debut becomes the first chapter of something meaningful in Dallas — or merely a one-game cameo.
For now, Kidd spoke about Middleton as though he intends to lean on him heavily.
“He’s a champion, he’s a pro, he comes to work, he does his job,” Kidd said, who previously coached Middleton in Milwaukee. “He can help us with his voice, not just his play. I’ve been talking to him a lot about how he can help Coop. He feels like he can help Cooper. Just looking at his knowledge and understanding of the game — it’s been great working with Khris.”
Marshall, who started alongside Middleton and fed off his floor-spacing all night, was equally effusive — and spoke to how naturally the pairing has come together in a short time.
“I just know how to play basketball,” Marshall said. “As you play with guys, you understand and learn their spots, know what they like to do — it just becomes an easy adjustment after that.”
Marshall also praised Middleton’s presence beyond the stat sheet.
“He’s a vet,” Marshall said. “He helps us score, spaces the floor, makes the game easier — and he’s just an all-around good teammate. He helps us on the floor, shows us how to make the game easier. Shout out to Chris.”
Middleton has already been filling a leadership role that extends well beyond his numbers, according to Kidd — all of which would be sorely missed if a buyout comes to pass before Saturday’s deadline.
A.J. Johnson’s Debut Hints at What’s Ahead
Johnson’s 11-point debut off the bench was one of the few genuine feel-good moments of the night. The 22-year-old was a perfect 4-of-4 from the field, including a three-pointer, and his energy in the second quarter helped fuel a run that briefly made the 17-point hole feel manageable. His fourth-quarter three-pointer off a Middleton assist was part of the Mavericks’ final push.
Kidd had clearly been watching closely.
“I thought his minutes were positive,” Kidd said. “We talked about it before the game — I thought he was positive in Minnesota, and if he had another opportunity tonight, which we thought he would, he was going to be positive again. He made some shots for us, his energy became contagious and got us back into the game.”
Johnson described his approach simply.
“Just being aggressive, trusting my teammates, and trusting myself,” Johnson said.
When asked what Kidd is looking for from him each time he checks in, Johnson kept it equally straightforward.
“Just to create a positive impact for our team,” Johnson said. “Just trying to do everything I can — if it’s picking up full court, trying to get a steal, just doing the little things.”
Brandon Williams, meanwhile, contributed 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting with four assists — his 15th game with 15 or more points as a reserve this season, a figure he reached only eight times in his entire career prior to this year.
Two Shorthanded Teams, One Brutal Reality
Both teams came in battered. Sacramento was without Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray and Sabonis. Dallas was without Flagg, Irving, Gafford, P.J. Washington, and Lively. Kidd acknowledged the shared misery — but refused to let it become an excuse.
“We can sit around and just discuss the injuries that we have, because we’ve got a lot of that in common,” Kidd said. “Both teams are here to play basketball at the highest level and play it the right way. It’s next man up mentality. I know Doug has probably said that to his group. It gives a younger player or another player an opportunity to prove to his teammates and coaches that they deserve those minutes.”
The schedule compounds everything. Coming off a brutal road trip, playing four games in four days at home before another extended road swing, the grind is real. But Marshall wasn’t looking for sympathy.
“It’s part of the game,” Marshall said. “You’ve got a job to do no matter how many games, how many days, or where you are. I just have to show up each and every game, each and every day.”
Kidd was similarly resigned to the reality of the NBA calendar.
“It’s the schedule,” Kidd said. “We had a home stand to start the season — I think five games — so it was going to catch up to us. And then you add the snow game on the tail end of an 11-day trip. But it is what it is. We gotta play. A lot of basketball ahead.”
Johnson, for his part, already had his eyes on Friday night and what it will take to get the Mavericks back on track against the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Just compete at a really high level,” Johnson said. “Focus on the defensive end, get stops, rebound, be physical — I feel like if we do that, the offense and everything else will take care of itself.”
The Mavericks host the Grizzlies on Friday night at American Airlines Center, with tipoff slated for 7:30 p.m. CST.
Latest Dallas Mavericks News & NBA Rumors