Mavericks win double OT thriller at buzzer against Kings
DALLAS (AP) -- Deron Williams hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second overtime, and the Dallas Mavericks beat Sacramento 117-116 Tuesday night for their 22nd consecutive home victory over the Kings.
Williams took an inbounds pass from Devin Harris with 2.3 seconds left, pump faked to get Rudy Gay to fly by him in the left corner and the ball went in after the buzzer sounded.
Dirk Nowitzki hit an earlier 3 as the Mavericks scored the last eight points after falling behind 116-109 with 1:20 left in the second overtime.
DeMarcus Cousins scored 35 for his third straight 30-point game for the Kings, including a buzzer-beating layup for a 98-all tie at the end of regulation.
Former Dallas guard Rajon Rondo was out with back spasms in his first visit since an acrimonious split after an ill-fated half-season with the Mavericks.
Dallas' run against Sacramento is the second-longest current streak versus one team in the NBA behind San Antonio's 32-game run against Golden State, according to STATS.
The Kings haven't won a regular-season game in Dallas since Feb. 27, 2003, when they won 126-124 in overtime. Sacramento did win a game in Dallas during a five-game playoff series victory over the Mavericks in 2004.
The Kings just missed out on snapping the long Dallas skid a night after winning in Oklahoma City for the first time in 15 tries.
Cousins, who had an odd triple-double with 17 rebounds and 10 turnovers, also had a big blocked shot on Zaza Pachulia in the second extra period. Rudy Gay, who scored 31 points, hit a 3-pointer at the other end for a 116-109 lead with 1:20 left.
But after Williams hit a layup, Nowitzki made a long 3 over Cousins to make it a two-point game. Williams led Dallas with 25 points, while Nowitzki had 23 and Wesley Matthews added 20.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle decided to let the Kings run the clock with just a 2-second difference from the game clock.
After former Dallas guard Darren Collison threw up an airball to make the shot clock expire, the Mavericks got a chance to set up the final play for Williams, who started for the first time since straining his left hamstring Dec. 22 against Toronto. He missed four games and came off the bench for two.
Marco Belinelli hit a pair of 3s in the final minute of regulation, the latter pulling the Kings even at 96 with 13 seconds left. After Williams hit a floating layup with 2.1 seconds to go, Cousins took an inbounds pass from Belinelli and hit a driving layup just before the buzzer.
Rondo avoided any pregame boos by sneaking to the Sacramento bench in his game sweatsuit while the arena was dark during Dallas introductions. Few seemed to notice when he walked to the locker room at halftime after a friendly exchange with a couple of members of Carlisle's staff.
The NBA's assists leader clashed several times with Carlisle after arriving in a midseason trade with Boston. The fractious relationship was finished when Carlisle said Rondo had a back injury and wouldn't play for Dallas again two games into a five-game loss to Houston in the first round of the playoffs last April.
Rondo faced the Mavericks for the first time this season in a 112-98 victory at Sacramento in November. He had 21 points and five assists.
TIP-INS
Kings: Coach George Karl passed Phil Jackson for fifth place on the NBA's career list for regular-season victories with his 1,156th against the Thunder. Karl is first among active coaches. ... Rookie C Willie Cauley-Stein sat out after cutting his right middle finger on the backboard in Oklahoma City. It was his second game back after missing a month with a dislocated right index finger.
Mavericks: Carlisle passed Chuck Daly for 21st on the coaching list with his 639th victory. The late Flip Saunders ranks 20th with 654. ... C JaVale McGee had season highs of 13 points and 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Kings: Host Lakers on Thursday.
Mavericks: At New Orleans on Wednesday.
