Nov 30, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) takes a shot over Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Dallas Mavericks 112-98. Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
By Rick Hurd, The Sports Xchange
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Center DeMarcus Cousins scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds in his return to the lineup, and the Sacramento Kings ended a long string of futility against the Dallas Mavericks with a 112-98 win at Sleep Train Arena on Monday.
Sacramento also clamped down on defense for one of the few times all season, holding Dallas to one of its lowest offensive outputs of the season to end a six-game losing streak to the Mavericks that dated to Dec. 9, 2013.
Dallas shot only 43 percent from the field and managed just 40 points in the second half.
Cousins made 10 of 24 shots in his first game back after missing three with back spasms. The sixth-year pro has played in only 11 of the Kings’ 19 games this season, and Sacramento (7-12) improved to 6-5 when he’s in the lineup.
He also made 10 free throws. With 1,798 in his career, he moved past Kevin Martin (1,791) for second on Sacramento’s all-time list. He’s more than 800 away from tying Mitch Richmond atop the list.
Forward Rudy Gay scored 20 points and added seven rebounds, and guard Rajon Rondo had 21 points and five assists in his first game against Dallas since his turbulent 46-game run with the Mavericks last season.
Forward Chandler Parsons led Dallas (10-8) with 14 points, while forward Dirk Nowitzki and center Zaza Pachulia added 13.
Nowitzki’s step-back jumper from 12 feet with 2:25 left in the first half made him the 13th NBA player to reach 10,000 field goals.
Cousins hit a short layup and a dunk on consecutive possessions, and guards Omri Casspi and Darren Collision nailed 3-pointers during a 10-3 spurt in the final quarter that put the Kings ahead 92-81 with 6:05 left. Dallas never got within single digits after that.
Collison finished with 15 points, Casspi had 10 and guard Seth Curry scored eight in a season-high 18 minutes. Coach George Karl used a small lineup with four guards on the floor at times.
With the small lineup, the Kings played their best defensive quarter of the game to take a 76-71 lead into the final period. Sacramento held Dallas to just 13 points on five-for-22 shooting in the third, its best defensive period of the season
The third-quarter defense was particularly notable for the Kings. Sacramento entered the contest allowing 109.1 points per game, and opponents were making 47 percent of their shots — both figures the worst in the NBA.
NOTES: Kings G Rajon Rondo, who entered the game leading the NBA with an average of 11.0 assists per game, managed just 6.5 assists per contest during his 46-game stint with Dallas a season ago that he told reporters before the game “wasn’t my best.” … Dallas G Deron Williams, signed to replace Rondo, was averaging 5.6 assists in Dallas’ first 17 games, nearly three below his career average, but he made 48 of 51 free throws (94.1 percent). … C DeMarcus Cousins, who returned to the floor Monday, has missed 31 of Sacramento’s 88 contests since Nov. 28, 2014. Dallas F Dirk Nowitzki, now in his 18th season, has missed only 31 contests in his entire career. Nowitzki needs to play six more games to reach 1,288 and move into the top 20 on the all-time list. … Dallas G J.J. Barea missed his second game in a row with a right ankle sprain.
