Winless Kings bring NBA's leakiest defense to Mavericks

The winless Sacramento Kings (0-6), whose opponents shoot a league-worst 60.4 effective field goal percentage, visit the Dallas Mavericks (4-2), the NBA's second-best shooting team by that measure, at 8:00 PM ET Monday.

Dallas shoots 56.8 effective against a defense that has slowed no one. The Kings allow 121.9 points per 100 possessions, 29th in the league, and lost 136-105 at Memphis and 130-103 at San Antonio.

Sacramento's best counter is on the glass. Domantas Sabonis averages 15.8 rebounds, 4.3 of them offensive, and Dallas ranks 25th in defensive rebounding percentage without Dereck Lively II. Sabonis also runs the offense from the post with 7.3 assists a game.

Darius Acuff Jr. scores 26.3 points on 39.6% shooting. The Kings play at the league's fifth-fastest pace.

Cooper Flagg leads Dallas with 26.8 points on 55.7% shooting and averages 2.6 steals, against a Sacramento team that ranks 26th in true shooting. Daniel Gafford protects the rim with two blocks a night.

The Kings arrive short-handed. Keegan Murray, who plays 33.2 minutes a game, is out, along with Maxime Raynaud, Ben Simmons and Sean Pedulla. Zach LaVine and Dylan Cardwell are questionable.

Dallas has its own holes. Kyrie Irving is questionable and Santi Aldama is doubtful, while Lively, Tarik Biberovic and Sergio De Larrea are out. The Mavericks have won three straight, including 120-96 over Oklahoma City and 116-111 over Houston, both at home.

Sportsbook prices give the Mavericks a 77% chance to win. Our projection, built on the players available, has Dallas at 72% and favored by 7.3 points.