The Sacramento Kings earned their first victory of the 2026-27 season on Monday night, beating the Dallas Mavericks 115-100 at American Airlines Center. Rookie Darius Acuff Jr. scored 25 points as Sacramento improved to 1-6, ending its six-game losing streak and becoming the last NBA team to win this season.
Malik Monk added 24 points and seven assists off the bench, while Zach LaVine contributed 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Sacramento shot 52% from the field and made 19 three-pointers.
The Kings held a narrow 54-53 halftime lead before taking control after the break. They outscored Dallas 27-21 in the third quarter and added another eight points to their advantage in the fourth.
Acuff finished with 25 points, six assists and five rebounds in 37 minutes. Monk provided a major boost, shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-8 from three-point range.
Daniel Gafford and Walter Clayton Jr. each scored 20 points for Dallas, which fell to 4-3 after a three-game winning streak. Gafford was particularly efficient, making nine of his 10 field-goal attempts, while Clayton shot 6-of-9, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Cooper Flagg added 17 points but struggled with his shooting, making just 3 of 19 attempts from the field. He converted all 11 free throws and also recorded six assists, four rebounds and six turnovers.
Dallas played without Kyrie Irving, who sat out for rest and left knee management.
The Mavericks shot 41% overall and made only seven of 33 three-point attempts, compared with Sacramento’s 19 makes from long range.
The Kings host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, while Dallas visits the San Antonio Spurs that night.
