A new chapter is forming in Dallas, and Cooper Flagg is writing it with fast breaks, sharp passes, and big defensive plays. The young Mavericks star has helped his team start 4-2 through Saturday, while Sacramento arrives still searching for its first win after an 0-6 start. When the Kings visit Dallas on Monday night, they will try to turn a rough opening week into a spark. The Mavericks will try to prove their early surge has staying power.

Flagg has been the engine of Dallas’s new story. He is scoring 26.8 points per game while also handing out 6.6 assists, which shows he does far more than hunt for his own shots. At 6-foot-9, the forward can see over smaller defenders, attack the lane, and help teammates get open looks. His 2.6 steals per game also show his alert hands on defense. Dallas has won its past three games, including a 120-96 victory over Oklahoma City, and Flagg has given the club a young leader to build around.

Kyrie Irving makes that job easier. The veteran guard is back from injury and is hitting 39 percent of his three-point shots. He can twist through traffic, handle the ball under pressure, and create a shot when the play breaks down. Together, Flagg and Irving give Dallas two very different problems for defenders to solve. The Mavericks score 114 points per game and shoot 49.4 percent from the field, meaning they have often found clean, efficient shots.

Still, Sacramento has its own rising guard in Darius Acuff Jr. The rookie is pouring in 26.3 points per game and averaging 6.3 assists. Acuff can use a screen from a teammate to get downhill, then either drive to the rim or set up a teammate. Zach LaVine adds 23.5 points per game as a quick, athletic scorer who can heat up from outside or soar toward the basket.

The Kings’ strongest steady force may be Domantas Sabonis. His 15.8 rebounds per game are huge because every rebound ends one chance and starts another. Sabonis also has 7.3 assists per game, rare passing skill for a big player. Dallas must keep bodies around him near the rim and be ready when he fires passes to cutting guards.

That task matters even more because Dallas center Dereck Lively II is listed out with a foot injury. The Mavericks usually protect the rim well, blocking 6.8 shots per game, but they will need Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, and their active wings to help fill that space. Sacramento also will miss forward Keegan Murray, who is out with an ankle injury.

The Kings have allowed at least 130 points in each of their last three games, so stopping Dallas is the mountain in front of them. Sacramento can make this exciting if Acuff, LaVine, and Sabonis share the ball and control the glass. But Dallas has the stronger recent run, more defensive pop, and Flagg’s all-around brilliance. Prediction: the Mavericks win.

Cooper Flagg and Dallas Aim to Keep Rolling Against Sacramento