The return of De’Aaron Fox from ankle injury did the trick for the Sacramento Kings as they tread on a 6-game winning streak. Notably, they decimated the in-form Dallas Mavericks in a blowout 113-129 victory. Even the superstar duo of the Mavs, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic couldn’t save the team from the embarrassing loss. At the same time, the Kings’ dream duo, Fox and Domantas Sabonis, worked in tandem to light the beam in Dallas.

The 5th seeding Kings defeated the second-seeded Mavs on Sunday night. Let’s find out the key takeaways from the game.

1. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving stand alone

Mavs guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving did what they do best, pitch in with points regularly and steady the ship. However, on this occasion, the duo didn’t receive the required support from the starting line. Apart from Luka and Kyrie’s 25 & 23 points, everyone else in the starting line-up dropped single-digit scores. This very stat affected the Mavs’ attempt to compete with the red-hot Kings.

The starting line apart from the duo only managed to 19 points, out of which Grant Williams topped the three with 7 points. Meanwhile, the Mavs bench also didn’t explode as much as it was expected to.

2. Kings’ dream duo exploded

Domantas Sabonis led the team’s offense on several occasions of the season. Moreover, the 6 ’10 tall center’s combination with De’Aaron Fox has propelled them into a lethal duo for the Kings. Notably, Sabonis’s domination near the paint and Fox’s clutch game and shooting prowess work well to light the beam. In tonight’s game, the center dropped 32 points with a field goal record of 13-15 and Fox dropped 30 points with a 6-10 record from beyond the arc.

3. Tim Hardaway Jr. recognizes his role

The small forward Tim Hardaway Jr. of the Mavs has been one to contribute from the bench. He dropped 14 points, the third most points scored by a Mavs players, in his 27-minute game time. This isn’t just any other game for the star, but proof that he had recognized the role given to him. To give context, the Mavs head coach Jason Kidd expressed his expectations from Hardaway ahead of the tournament. He said, “I’m excited again for Timmy, looking to talk to him about being Sixth Man of the Year… That would help our team and put us in a really good seat,” reported Sports Illustrated.

Read More – “Tale of Two Halves”: Kyrie Irving Keeps It Simple After Dropping Season High in Bucks Heartbreak

The Mavs dropped down to 5th seed despite winning 9 games and the Kings took the 4th spot with an improved win percentage. Kyrie & Co. take on the Lakers in their next encounter and have an opportunity to get back on top and keep their form going.

Watch This Story – Nike vs Anta: Are Kyrie Irving’s Shock Wave 5 Pro Costlier Than LeBron James’ 21?

What do you make of Sac Town’s dominant duo on the court? Let us know in the comments below.