Short-Handed Kings Face a Tough Test in Dallas

By NBA Stat Desk How we produce articles

Sacramento's winless start and thin roster give Dallas the edge at home.

SAC @ DAL Nov 3, 2026 at 1:00 AM UTC

Sacramento arrives in Dallas at 0-5, still looking for its first win, and the injury report offers little help. Keegan Murray is out with an ankle injury, with ESPN listing his estimated return as November 6. That removes a starting forward from a team already struggling to find traction.

The frontcourt is a bigger problem. Maxime Raynaud is out with a knee injury and Dylan Cardwell is sidelined with a calf strain, so the Kings have almost no true center depth. Dallas can attack the paint knowing Sacramento has few answers behind its available bigs. Ben Simmons is out for the season with an Achilles injury, which leaves the backcourt without another option for creating and organizing offense. The Kings will have to get through a long night with limited rotation flexibility.

The Mavericks are not at full strength either. Santi Aldama, Sergio De Larrea and Tarik Biberovic all appear on the injury reports, which affects Dallas's depth. Even so, the Mavericks are 4-2, including 2-1 at home, and their wins include one over the previously undefeated Thunder. That result suggests they can handle a good opponent when their rotation is stretched.

The gap comes down to resources. Dallas is dealing with absences, but Sacramento is missing a starter and most of its center rotation while trying to end a five-game losing streak. I expect the Kings to compete in stretches, but the Mavericks should control the interior and get enough from their available rotation to pull away late.

Prediction: Mavericks 116, Kings 106.

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