Sacremento Kings (30 - 11) <font size="1">Road: 9-8 Last 10: 7-3</font> Dallas Mavericks (27 - 16) <font size="1">Home: 19-3 Last 10: 8-2</font> Previous Game Sacremento 95 @ Memphis 105 Dallas 106 @ Chicago 93 Team History Dallas beat the Kings on Christmas day this season at Arco, 111 to 103. Of course, the Kings were on an eight man rotation with Peja not included. Probable Starters Mike Bibby (SK) against Steve Nash (DM) Doug Christie (SK) against Michael Finley (DM) Peja Stojakovic (SK) against Josh Howard (DM) Brad Miller (SK) against Antoine Walker (DM) Vlade Divac (SK) against Dirk Nowitzki (DM) Key Matchup vs. Peja Stojakovic: 25.4 PPG (.493 FG%), 6.00 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.30 SPG Josh Howard: 8.1 PPG (.409 FG%), 5.60 RPG, 1.30 APG, .91 SPG Injuries <u>Sacremento Kings</u> Chris Webber <u>Dallas Mavericks</u> Jon Stefansson Tariq Abdul-Wahad Eduardo Najera Keys to the Game: <u>Sacremento Kings</u> <ul> [*]Guard the perimeter [*]Force Nash to shoot [*]Run both ends of the floor [*]Play zone [/list] <u>Dallas Mavericks</u> <ul> [*]Man to man defense [*]Stop Peja [*]Run both ends of the floor [*]Force turnovers and bad shots [/list] Just a reminder... Last time, there was no Peja. Last time, the Mavericks weren't riding an eight game winning streak, either. The Kings are vulnerable on the road and the Mavericks are near perfect at home. Either way, it'll be a high scoring game. Crossover's Prediction Both of these teams are loaded with firepower, and lazy on defense. Both teams have an answer for the other team's scorers - Finley and Bibby, Dirk and Peja, Walker and Christie, Miller and Nash, Jamison and Jackson... Just madness. However, I expect Dirk and Finley to get off to an early start, and eventually outscore the Kings at the American Airlines arena. If they can take advantage of the Kings' lazy defense, as well as exploit the mismatch between Dirk and Vlade, they'll cruise to a win today. I predict the Mavericks by 9.
Kings by 7. Mavs will put up a good fight, but Kings will make huge defensive stops down the stretch, and the offensive flow is good enough to open up bigger leads. Mavs depend on their shooting from the outside, can't take them in this one.
Mavericks take this one by 11. In Dallas, riding a big winning streak and with the Kings coming off a loss to memphis, I'll hand this one to the home side.
I thought the Kings lost this one already? Anyway if I'm mistaken, I'll say Dallas. Although the Kings are better on defense, as well as being the better overall team, especially in team chemistry. Dallas has just been playing really well, past my expectations, they proved me wrong, the court advantage and the streak as well. I say Mavs by around 8.
Excellent job by the Dallas Mavericks. Sacramento has lost two straight, and it helps us out in the Pacific as my Lakers start to slowly get healthy again. :biggrin2:
