Kings vs. Mavericks gameday: NBA scoring leader De’Aaron Fox faces off with Luka Doncic
All-NBA point guard De’Aaron Fox is the NBA’s unofficial scoring leader going into Sunday’s showdown with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Fox currently doesn’t qualify for the official leaderboard after missing five games with an ankle injury, but he leads the league in scoring at 32.2 points per game. He moved ahead of the likes of Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Doncic after scoring a season-high 43 points in a 129-120 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
Fox has appeared in six games for Sacramento. The Kings are 5-1 in those six games. Fox is shooting 50.7% from the field and a career-high 38% from 3-point range.
Kings coach Mike Brown was asked if he ever marvels at Fox’s abilities after the NBA’s reigning Clutch Player of the Year scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to close out the Spurs.
“I don’t really marvel at it because, I’m telling you, that’s just who he is,” Brown said. “When you marvel at guys, it’s usually guys who do something that’s extraordinary or out of their realm or sphere, but he’s capable. He’s that good. You talk about 5 for 11 from the 3-point line. He hit some big 3s and I think one kind of went in and out. He’s worked extremely hard on that, and being able to shoot the ball like that, score from the other two levels, as strong as he is — quick, athletic, intelligent — there’s nothing that will surprise me.
“The only thing that surprises me is every list I see of these MVP (candidates), I don’t see his name on it at all. I finally saw (Domantas Sabonis’) name on it, which is great, but … that surprises me that I don’t see (Fox’s) name mentioned on that list at all. Even when you start talking about lead guards, his name’s not mentioned and I don’t have an answer for that one, but I know it’s wrong.”
Scouting Sacramento
The Kings (7-4) have won five in a row, the longest winning streak in the Western Conference. They were fifth in the West going into Saturday’s game, a half-game behind the Mavericks and one game behind the conference-leading Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Fox and Sabonis have been superb. Sabonis is averaging 19.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. Malik Monk (13.7 ppg), Keegan Murray (13.6 ppg), Kevin Huerter (13.5 ppg) and Harrison Barnes (11.0 ppg) are also averaging double figures in scoring.
Huerter is questionable for Sunday’s game due to a sprained index finger on his left hand. He suffered the injury in the third quarter of Friday’s win over the Spurs. He returned in the fourth quarter to hit a clutch 3-pointer in the final minutes.
Huerter didn’t seem too concerned after the game, telling The Sacramento Bee the injury was “nothing that should be bothersome long term.” Still, the timing of the injury was unfortunate for Huerter, who averaged 21.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 55.1% from the field and 48.9% from 3-point range over the previous five games to snap out of an early slump.
Scouting Dallas
The Mavericks (9-4) are tied for third in the West with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They had won three of four before suffering a 132-125 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday to close out a four-game road trip.
The Mavericks will be facing the Kings on the second night of a tough road-home back-to-back before heading to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Wednesday and the Clippers on Saturday.
Doncic, the NBA’s third-leading scorer, is averaging 30.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists. Irving has averages of 22.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.2 steals. Tim Hardaway is scoring 18.7 points per game off the bench.
Status updates
▪ Doncic was listed as questionable due to right knee soreness when the Mavericks submitted their injury report Sunday, but he was later cleared to play. Seth Curry is out with right hip soreness. Maxi Kleber is out with a dislocated toe.
▪ Huerter has been ruled out for the Kings. The Kings will start Chris Duarte in place of Huerter. Duarte was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Game in Friday’s win over the Spurs.
Kings at Mavericks
When: 4:30 p.m.
Where: American Airlines Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Mavericks -1.5
Over/under: 245.5
Injury report
Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Kevin Huerter (finger). OUT — Jordan Ford (G League); Alex Len (ankle); Trey Lyles (calf).
Mavericks: QUESTIONABLE — Luka Doncic (knee). OUT — Greg Brown III (G League); Seth Curry (hip); Dennis Dexter (G League); Maxi Kleber (toe); A.J. Lawson (G League).
Upcoming schedule
Nov. 19 at Dallas Mavericks
Nov. 20 at New Orleans Pelicans
Nov. 22 at New Orleans Pelicans
Nov. 24 at Minnesota Timberwolves
Nov. 28 vs. Golden State Warriors
