You can change the bodies inside those purple uniforms. You could probably stick Kobe Bryant and LeBron James into the lineup.
But, somehow, no matter what version of the Sacramento Kings show up, you just have to figure it will be good for whatever ails the Mavericks.
The new Kings came to town with only about half the players they had when they visited 11 days earlier. Didn't matter. The outcome was the same, with the Mavericks rolling to a double-digit lead in the first half and pocketing a 116-95 bashing of the Kings.
It was the 11th consecutive time the Mavericks have beaten the Kings at American Airlines Center. In the last week, the Kings made a slew of trades that altered the look of their team and their financial situation.
No matter what was happening with the visitors, it was exactly what the Mavericks needed.
Both teams had played the night before, the Mavericks losing a tough game in Houston and Sacramento notching a victory in Memphis.
So the Mavericks needed something a little different.
What they decided to do was blur the lines between starters and reserves.
How else can you explain Dirk Nowitzki sitting out the entire second quarter. Maybe it's happened before when he's been healthy. But maybe not.
Instead, it was the trio of J.J. Barea, Brandon Bass and James Singleton who provided the punch that pushed the Mavericks ahead 70-50 at halftime, enabling them to coast through the second half.
Bass had 18 points in the first half, 16 of them in the second quarter, when the Mavericks hung 40 on the Kings. They hit 71.4 percent of their shots, forced six Sacramento turnovers and outrebounded the Kings 12-7 in the period.
The Kings got no closer than 19 points in the second half until some vintage garbage time allowed them to close the gap in the final three minutes. Nowitzki and company kept things rolling in the third quarter. But this was a game for the reserves.
Singleton had a season-best 19 points and 12 rebounds. Barea filled up the stat sheet with nine points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Bass finished with 20 points, also a season high.
Not that the starters didn't do some damage. Josh Howard had 20 points and Jason Kidd had 11 points and 11 assists. Nowitzki needed 10 third-quarter points to finish with 12, after scoring just nine Friday night in Houston.
But this one wasn't about putting up numbers _ unless you were on the second team.
Or was that the first team?
It was hard to tell the difference on this night.
--Eddie Sefko
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