SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ The teams with the two worst records in the Western Conference got together Saturday night with predictable results.
Defense was optional. And there were times when it looked like two teams that are a combined 39 games below .500.
But at least the rookie point guards that are destined to be measured against each other finally saw each other for the first time. Each had their occasional imprints on the game, which the Dallas Mavericks managed to win over the Sacramento Kings 106-99 to stop their five-game losing streak.
The victory came courtesy of a 16-2 start to the fourth quarter _ fueled by Devin Harris, J.J. Barea and Yogi Ferrell.
Harris had three of the Mavericks' buckets and Ferrell had a pair of 3-pointers as the Mavericks took control. When the Kings got close, Ferrell dug out an offensive rebound and found Harrison Barnes for a dunk to make it 104-94 with 1:27 to go. All Barea did was have 11 assists in 24 minutes.
But the hype surrounded Dennis Smith Jr. and the Kings' De'Aaron Fox. This was the first time Smith and Fox have played against each other. Smith missed the first meeting with a knee problem. Fox was taken by the Kings with the fifth pick in the draft, four spots ahead of Smith.
In the third quarter, Smith figured out he could get by the Kings' defense and made several nifty moves to the rim. Fox, meanwhile, led a rally in the fourth quarter that never got closer than six points down the stretch.
Smith finished with 12 points, five assists and five rebounds. Fox had 15 points and four assists and shared a long embrace with Smith after the final buzzer.
"It's a great matchup," coach Rick Carlisle said. "They were right in the same sort of time period (in the draft) and all the talk was about the two of those guys as the better point guards. It's going to be a great matchup (to watch in the future). Guys like him and Dennis are going to keep getting better and better."
