It was a jubilant Mavericks team that entered the playoffs against Sacramento.

It was a pensive one that went on summer vacation Monday night.

The Mavs owe their unwanted free time to their season-long dismissal of a fundamental defensive concept.

That being not only to maintain at least a semblance of a game-long control of a foe's offensive output but to own the ability to crunch it hard in the final moments.

The Mavs, a fun bunch to watch, wound up watching the Kings display their offensive pyrotechnics down through the games' climaxes.