“We all in this together and we just got to have a positive mindset and go into Sacramento and try to get a win.”

Dallas Mavericks point guard Darren Collison tries to keep his head up despite the worst season of Mavs ball under the Mark Cuban reign.

The Mavs plays the Sacramento Kings tonight, the second game of the back-to-back following last night’s defeat against the Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas is 2-7 in game two of back-to-backs.

California’s capitol may not even have an NBA team next season. Reports have stated the current Kings’ owners, George Jr. and Gavin Maloof, will sell the team to a Chris Hansen led Seattle group.

“First and goal at the one.” That’s how Yahoo! Sports NBA expert Adrian Wojnarowski described the progress.

“Not close,” said George Maloof on the current state of the deal.

Obviously it has become a cloudy ordeal. The Maloofs prefer to keep a significant voice in organizational matters as part of their majority sale. The result may the deal hitting a snag until the two sides fully agree of the finer details.

While the Kings have gotten comfortable in the bottom part of the Western standings, they have new company in the Mavericks. Actually the Mavs will enter the game tonight a half game behind the Kings.

“They have guys who can really score the basketball, so we’re going to have to play good defense, get out in transition and try to make shots,” guard Jimmer Fredette told the Kings’ official website. “I think it starts on the defensive end.”

It’s going to be about defense for both teams tonight. As for transition basketball, the Kings haven’t played since Monday and should have the fresher legs. Collison has paced the Mavs’ transition game, but oddly the Mavs are 0-4 in the games in which DC scores 20 points or more.

The issue the Mavs struggle with is figuring out how to finish a game. They’ve competed with top teams (not the Spurs) but haven’t been able to execute and close out for a win.

“It’s disheartening losing these games,” forward Elton Brand said. “I haven’t been through a stretch like this in a long, long time.”

Neither have the Mavs or the fans, Elton. It’s something we’re all trying to deal with in our own way.

The action starts at 9:00 p.m. CT and airs on FSSW/CSAC.

End the funk, get the win Dallas!