Kings Dominate Mavericks as Kyrie Irving Exits Early with Knee Injury

The Sacramento Kings cruised past the Dallas Mavericks with a commanding 122-98 victory on Monday, capitalizing on Kyrie Irving’s early departure due to a knee injury.

Irving left the game late in the first quarter after appearing to hyperextend his left knee while driving to the basket. Though he remained on the court to sink two free throws, he needed assistance to reach the sidelines and was eventually taken to the locker room. He finished with seven points.

With Irving sidelined, the Kings seized control, building a 60-50 halftime lead before blowing the game open with a 34-16 third-quarter surge. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan combined for 42 points, leading Sacramento to its fourth consecutive win and third straight on a four-game road trip.

LaVine was the game’s top scorer with 22 points, shooting an efficient 8-for-12 from the field and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. The Kings dominated from long range, making 16 of 34 three-pointers (47.1%) while holding Dallas to just 7 of 26 (26.9%).

Keegan Murray also played a key role, hitting four three-pointers and finishing with 18 points. Malik Monk added 13 points and a game-high eight assists, while Jonas Valanciunas stepped up in place of the injured Domantas Sabonis, contributing 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Trey Lyles provided valuable support off the bench with nine points, nine rebounds, and six assists.

For Dallas, their leading scorers all came from the bench. Kai Jones paced the Mavericks with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Naji Marshall chipped in 18 points and six assists. Spencer Dinwiddie and Max Christie each scored 10 points. No Dallas starter played more than 25 minutes, and Irving’s seven points were the highest among them.

The loss wrapped up a 1-2 homestand for the Mavericks, who will now have to monitor Irving’s injury status as they look to bounce back.