The Dallas Mavericks face off against the Sacramento Kings Saturday afternoon in what can be considered a matinee performance. The last Dallas Mavericks-Kings game was arguably the launch point for the turnaround of the season. Prior to that New Year’s Eve game, the Mavericks sat two games under .500 after having lost to those very same Kings on December 29th on a buzzer beater.

Currently the Mavericks are a huge 7.5 point favorite on DraftKings.

Let’s get to it, as this feels like a bit of a trap game.

Will the early start matter?

NBA players are creatures of habit and to a large degree, they have to be. Games come so often, that developing a routine is key to success. I do not remember the last 4:00 pm local start time. Whether it affects the Mavericks is something I’m quite curious about.

Three straight high profile wins followed by an afternoon game against a bottom dweller sets up a text book definition of a trap game.

Keep an eye out for weird line ups

Head coach Jason Kidd mentioned before the Warriors game that we might see some Luka Doncic at center. That didn’t directly happen, but we did see Josh Green effectively playing center some with David Bertans on the floor.

If the Mavericks establish a comfortable lead, perhaps Kidd will try some new things with the line ups. Multiple ball handers allows for some new things. Are there any line ups you haven’t seen but want to?

Recapturing some defense tenacity

The Mavericks have given up over 100 points in six straight contests. Yes, they’ve won five of those six games, but the defensive margins have shifted downward a bit lately. The Kings are not a great basketball team but they certain can score the basketball quickly. Dallas needs to control the pace on both ends and if they do so, they can likely win this game rather easily.

How to Watch

Dallas plays on Bally Sports Southwest at 4:00 pm.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.