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Sunday, Dec. 26 9:00pm ET
Kings lead from start to finish | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- So what if the Sacramento Kings can't put the finishing touches on games? They didn't need to on Sunday night. The Kings built a 21-point lead in the first half and Chris Webber's 31-point effort helped hold off the Dallas Mavericks 118-111. The Kings led from start to finish in beating the Mavericks, who outscored Sacramento 33-21 edge in the fourth quarter and cut the lead to six points three times. "We didn't close the game perfectly liked we wanted, but we won," said Webber, who also had six assists and five rebounds. "When you get up 20 points early, that's the toughest thing." The Kings had been struggling, losing seven of 10 entering the game. But they came out strong against Dallas, producing their best half of the season, leading 70-49 by intermission. "That first quarter was great," Kings guard Nick Anderson said. "Teams are gunning for us every night. After we lost to the Clippers (on Thursday), it was like they won the NBA championship. We have to realize we've got to come out and play well every night." Sacramento's lead remained in double figures for much of the game as the Mavericks lost for the eighth time in 10 games. Every time Dallas cut the lead to six points in the fourth, the Kings responded. "It was two different halves," Dallas coach Don Nelson said. "We're not good enough to spot any team 20 points and expect to win a basketball game." Jason Williams scored 23 points and had eight assists for the Kings, who are 9-2 at home this season. Scot Pollard added 13 points and Vlade Divac had nine points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Both Corliss Williamson and Jon Barry had 11 points. "You've got to look at it as 'yeah, you'd like to get a blowout there,' but the win was the important thing and that's what we got," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. Michael Finley had 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks. Gary Trent scored 20 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 18 and Hubert Davis added 17. "We're not strong enough to spot anyone 20 points and try to come back in their arena or our arena, you just don't do that," Trent said. "We were just so flat, our defense was terrible in the first half." Dallas opened the fourth with an 11-2 run and later used three straight jumpers from Nowitzki to cut the lead to 105-98 with 5:41 remaining. Shooting 62.5 percent, the Kings had their biggest first-half point total of the season and led 70-49 by intermission. "We had a complete first half," Divac said. Webber had 15 points and Williams scored 14 for the Kings, who were ahead 39-23 after one quarter. Pollard, in a reserve roll, had 10 points.
Game notes | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Dallas Clubhouse Sacramento Clubhouse RECAPS Washington 103 Houston 92
Sacramento 118
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