This Metu Moment: Kings Defeat Mavs In Buzzer-Beating Fashion
Dec 29, 2021, 10:26 PM | Updated: 11:43 pm
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Chimezie Metu has delivered a game-winner that will be remembered for years to come
As De’Aaron Fox drove down the heart of the lane with two seconds remaining on the game-clock, you could see a glaring issue in the Dallas Mavericks defensive rotation:
Three Mavericks defenders collapsed in on Fox.
Uh oh. Somebody is wide open.
Fox found the open man, tossing a dart cross-court right into the corner where he found a wide-open Chimezie Metu.
Trailing 94-92, Metu gathered himself and let a smooth game-winning three-pointer fly as time seemed to stand still for 16,701 fans in attendance at Golden 1 Center. The shot hit nothing but net, the Kings mauled Metu at center court and Sacramento was able to steal a 95-94 from the Mavericks on Wednesday night.
With the win, the Kings improve to 15-21 on the season after winning their second game in as many nights.
Sacramento was unable to generate much offense in the first quarter, while the defense continued to look…well, as awful as it has looked all season.
The Mavericks converted four of their nine three-point attempts in the first as they took a 30-20 lead into the second period after bottling up the Kings offense to just 38-percent from the field and 14-percent from beyond the arc.
Seeing that it’s been a Jeykll & Hyde season for Sacramento, it was only fitting that they follow up a brutal first quarter with arguably their strongest 12-minute stretch of the season.
Tyrese Haliburton did an incredible job of setting the table on the offensive end, Marvin Bagley III played with a sense of urgency that was noteworthy and the Kings outscored Dallas 35-13 in the second quarter to take a 55-43 lead at the break.
Haliburton dished six assists in the first half, while Bagley, Harrison Barnes, De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell (game-high 12 points) all chipped in with eight points or more in the first half.
The red-hot second quarter would carry into the opening moments of the second half as the Kings mounted its largest lead of the game at 62-49 with 8:43 to go in the third quarter.
Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavs would not go quietly as Dallas went on a 20-6 run to reclaim the lead, thereby adding Wednesday night’s game to the long list of contests this season that have featured a third quarter meltdown by Sacramento.
Although the Kings saw a 13-point lead evaporate in a matter of seconds, they were able to regain a 72-69 lead heading into the final period.
Dallas was able to take an 86-81 lead with less than five minutes to go, but a triple from Haliburton and a lay-in from Harrison Barnes would tie things up with under four minutes remaining in regulation. Things would remain in a gridlock until De’Aaron Fox went coast-to-coast for a go-ahead lay-in with 1:22 to go.
On back-to-back possessions, Mavs guard Jalen Brunson answered Fox with a bucket of his own to tie things at 92-92 before Porzingis was fouled and sank two free-throws to give Dallas a slim 94-92 lead with 33.2 seconds remaining.
As Golden 1 Center came to its feet on what could have been a game-tying or go-ahead possession for Sacramento, but Harrison Barnes’ attempt at the rim would be too strong, giving the Mavericks the ball with 27.7 seconds left and a two-point lead.
Porzingis and the Mavs came up empty on their next possession, giving the Kings a chance to tie or win the game with 4.3 seconds on the clock. After an intentional foul by Dallas, De’Aaron Fox fielded the inbound pass and made his move towards the basket as the clock inched closer to zero.
Fox found a wide-open Chimezie Metu in the corner on a drive-and-kick, giving the forward a clean look at a game-winning triple.
The shot looked good as soon as it left Metu’s hand, and once the shot dropped through the bottom of the net, Golden 1 Center unleashed a roar that had been unheard thus far over the initial 19 home games.
“It was a great feeling. I kind of blacked out,” Metu said postgame of his game-winner. “I’m just happy that the shot went in.”
Although the Kings suffered another rough third-quarter performance, they were able to scratch together a win and steal victory from the hands of a Mavericks team that currently sits just two game ahead of Sacramento in the Western Conference standings.
It was a memorable finish at Golden 1 Center–one that won’t be forgotten for a very long time.
Quick Stats
Tyrese Haliburton is inserting himself into some rare Kings company.
The second-year guard posted his eighth-straight game with seven assists or more, becoming the first Kings guard since De’Aaron Fox did so last season and former Sacramento guard Rajon Rondo in 2015-16.
Haliburton posted his ninth double-double of the season and his sixth over his past seven games after scoring 12 points and dishing 10 assists over 36 minutes.
De’Aaron Fox finished with 16 points on seven-of-12 shooting, while Harrison Barnes and Davion Mitchell each scored 14 points in the win. Metu and Marvin Bagley III both scored 11 points on Wednesday, with Bagley notably showing plenty of energy over 28 minutes of action (eight rebounds, two steals, zero turnovers).
Injury Updates
Davion Mitchell and Alex Len were both active on Wednesday afternoon after missing the past six games dating back to December 17th due to COVID-19 Health & Safety protocols.
Rookie center Neemias Queta remains in protocols and will be able to return to basketball activities after registering successive negative COVID-19 tests 24 hours apart.
Coming Up
The Kings and Mavericks will run it back on Friday night at Golden 1 Center for a matinee showing on the final day of the year 2021.
You can ring in the New Year starting with Kings vs Mavericks coverage right here on Sports 1140 KHTK beginning at 1:30pm PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner prior to a 3:00pm PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.
Upcoming Sacramento Kings Schedule
- December 31st vs Dallas Mavericks
- Happy New Year!
- January 2nd vs Miami Heat
- January 4th @ Los Angeles Lakers
- January 5th vs Atlanta Hawks
- January 7th @ Denver Nuggets
