The Sacramento Kings will host the Dallas Mavericks tonight in the Golden 1 Center. This article will highlight one of the main headlines of the game which is the rookie battle between De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith Jr.
Last time the purple and white battled against the Dallas Mavericks was back on October 20th, the Sacramento Kings’ second game of the season, where the Kings came out on top by a score of 93-88.
In this piece, we will examine the top matchup to watch for as well as some final thoughts about tonight’s contest.
Fox Against Smith
This will be an exciting matchup to watch. Both Fox and Smith Jr. were two of the top point guards in last year’s NBA draft, and their performances this season show why. Although the Kings and Mavericks have played each other already this season, this will be the first time the pair of rookies will clash against each other.
Analysis on Fox
For Fox, the Kentucky speedster has been a pleasure to watch as of late. Despite experiencing rookie struggles in the first months, Fox is starting to figure out how to be efficient on a consistent basis as his ability to shoot and run an offense have vastly improved.
The potential has always flashed occasionally for Fox this season, but now those flashes are starting to be seen every game. If he continues to show a gradual pattern of improvement like he has recently, the Kings and their fans should be excited about his future with the team.
Analysis of Smith
When the Kings and Mavericks play later tonight, Fox will not be the only rookie on the court who has been turning heads. For Smith, he has been a spark for the Mavericks throughout this season as he is averaging almost 15 points and five assists per game.
Similar to Fox, Smith has also felt more comfortable as the season has gone on. He just concluded his best scoring month of the season as he averaged almost 17 points and six assists per contest.
Smith is an electric player that has athleticism similar to Russell Westbrook, in my mind. If he continues to improve like Fox has, the Mavericks will have a great player to build around when they experience life after Dirk Nowitzki.
Final Thoughts
With both teams ranked in the basement of the Western Conference, the majority of people who will be watching this match are Kings fans, Mavericks fans, and NBA junkies.
But with that being said, however, this game does highlight a matchup at the point guard spot which has the potential to spew entertainment. Whoever wins this rookie battle could decide which team comes out on top when the clock hits triple zeros.
So who will it be, everyone? Kings or Mavs? Fox or Smith? Let us know what you think by commenting on our website, Twitter account, or Facebook page.