SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Martin scored 21 points, Francisco Garcia had seven during a key fourth-quarter stretch, and the Sacramento Kings ended their five-game losing streak with a 102-95 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night.
Beno Udrih had 16 points, five rebounds and six assists for Sacramento, which hadn’t won since beating the Los Angeles Clippers 92-90 on Dec. 30. John Salmons and Brad Miller added 13 points apiece for the Kings in only their second win in the last 10 games against the Mavericks.
Jason Terry scored a season-high 33 points for Dallas, including 15 in the third quarter. Dirk Nowitzki added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who were coming off their most lopsided defeat of the season, a 128-100 loss to Phoenix on Friday.
Sacramento trailed 78-77 heading into the fourth quarter but opened the final period with a 17-4 run to take control for good.
The two-game slide marks the first time Dallas has lost consecutive games since dropping five straight in early November.
The Mavericks were without third-leading scorer Josh Howard, who sprained his left wrist during Friday’s loss. Howard was injured after crashing to the floor while going for a rebound. X-rays were negative and he is listed as day-to-day.
Martin went into the game averaging 29.7 points in his previous six games. He had missed the first meeting with Dallas earlier this season with an ankle injury.
He had 12 points during the third quarter to offset Terry, who was starting in place of Howard. Martin added four points in the fourth quarter, including a free throw with 29 seconds left that put the Kings ahead 101-95.
Dallas had three shots in the closing seconds but couldn’t convert and lost to Sacramento for the first time since last Jan. 14.
Without Howard, the Mavericks were hoping to get more production out of Nowitzki and Terry, both of whom have struggled in recent games.
Terry broke out of his slump but Nowitzki’s problems continued. He missed seven of his first 10 shots in the first half, including numerous open looks, and finished 6-of-18. In his last three games, the Mavericks’ leading scorer is averaging 14.6 points while shooting only 32.5 percent.
Terry had just eight points in the first half but went 7-of-9 from the floor in the third quarter, when he scored 15 of the Mavericks’ first 19 points.
Martin kept the Kings close with 12 of his points, including a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left, to give Sacramento a 77-76 lead before Jose Barea’s driving layup regained the lead for Dallas heading onto the fourth quarter.
Notes: Seattle Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace, a native of
Sacramento, attended the game and sat courtside.
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