It’s been a little over two years of writing on Sactown Royalty and now is my first time writing the preview for a game!

Today is already off to a rough start in the Sacramento basketball world, but you can say that for just about any day for the last 13 years and I wouldn’t correct you. If you’ve gotten a chance to read the latest Kings feature on The Athletic, you definitely should.

More dysfunction within a dysfunctional organization on the day of a game? That’s surely Sacramento for you.

Let’s talk Kings basketball.

When: Wednesday, February 12th, 5:30 PST

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

TV: NBCSCA

Radio: KHTK Sports 1140 AM

For Your Consideration

Mentioning that Athletic piece again and how Dallas star Luka Doncic will always be the talking point when it comes to the 2018 NBA Draft, today is a perfect game for Doncic to return following seven games out with an ankle injury.

“I’m ready,” Luka Doncic told reporters after practicing today. He’ll play tomorrow night vs. Kings and in the All-Star Game. (The All-Star Game was never really in question. Sorry, Devin Booker.)

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 11, 2020

The Mavs without Luka aren’t that special and went 3-4 in the stretch without him. However, the Mavs are a clear playoff team this season when the second-year All-Star does play. It remains to be unclear how deep this Dallas team can go in the playoffs with a healthy Doncic, but luckily for them, that’s the least of their worries. They get to talk about playoffs.

The Kings on the other hand, sore injured and all at the frontcourt, have taken their play up a notch these last nine games with a record of 6-3. They won three in a row prior to Monday’s loss against the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks but honestly it was a better performance than you could’ve expected from them due to the lack of big men. The Kings had the lead in the fourth quarter and watched it snap away faster than Thanos’ and Milwaukee never looked back.

Dallas isn’t in the same tier as Milwaukee, but no other team is. The last time the Kings came into American Airlines Center, they were without De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III (who they’ve been without for much of the season) and on an eight man rotation. They rode big games from Nemanja Bjelica and Buddy Hield to victory. They nearly collapsed, but they held on.

Today is the final game before the All-Star break and there is only one All-Star playing today. All we can do is ponder the “What if” everytime he faces off against Sacramento.

Oh, and we get to watch Willie Cauley-Stein, too.

Prediction

Bjelica is once again the best Serbian on the floor.

Kings 107, Mavs 101