The Mavericks defeated the Kings 120-106 in the play-in tournament, with Klay Thompson scoring 23 points, 16 of which came in a dominant second quarter performance. The win secured Dallas a chance to play against Memphis for the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, with the winner facing Oklahoma City in the opening round.
Dallas overcame a challenging season marked by the trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and an injury to Kyrie Irving. Thompson's sharpshooting and the team's strong defensive effort propelled them to victory, with Anthony Davis leading the Mavericks with 27 points. DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points for the Kings, who faced a disappointing end to a season that saw them miss the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 seasons, prompting speculation about the team's future under interim coach Doug Christie.