Once again, a visiting team is left to wonder if this might be one of the final times it plays in Sacramento following news that Kings ownership is considering selling the team to a group that would move it to Seattle.
The Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night were the first team to play the Kings at Sleep Train Arena since news of the possible deal broke Wednesday.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said Sacramento "has been a great town for the NBA."
"Over the long haul of years, it's been an enthusiastic place. The building has always rocked, even in the down years," Carlisle said. "I know there are rumors, and I don't know what's true and what's not true. The Maloof brothers are good people, and I've gotten to meet them over the years. You hope that everybody ends up OK in the whole thing."
The threat of the Kings relocating has been around for some time but was last this heightened at the end of the 2010-11 season, when ownership pursued a move to Anaheim.
Mavericks assess struggles – Dallas won the NBA title in the 2010-11 season but entered Thursday night's game with a 13-23 record.
Dallas failed to land its top target in free agency, guard Deron Williams, and star Dirk Nowitzki missed the first 27 games after knee surgery.
Several key players from the title team are gone, but being 10 games under .500 wasn't what the Mavericks were expecting.
Carlisle said Dallas has simply played poorly.
"Overall, if there was one thing it would be decision-making," Carlisle said. "And that's a broad subject, a broad area. That could come to defense, where you have untimely fouls when the other team is in the bonus. That could be turning the ball over. … Sometimes, it could just be not reading defensive situations."
Suited up – Kings guard Marcus Thornton dressed for the game after missing the previous five because of a sprained left ankle.
Thornton made it through a pregame workout without any problems after returning to practice Tuesday.
Thornton, who entered the game as the Kings' third-leading scorer at 13.3 points per game, didn't score in seven minutes.
With Thornton dressed, second-year forward Tyler Honeycutt was inactive.
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