‘Willing To Adapt’: Walter Clayton Jr. Ties Career High With 20 Points Off Dallas Mavericks’ Bench Against Sacramento Kings

DALLAS — Walter Clayton Jr. matched his career high with 20 points off the bench Monday night, but the Dallas Mavericks lost 115-100 to the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center.

Clayton went 6-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three, and 4-of-4 at the free-throw line in 23 minutes, 34 seconds. He scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter.

The 4 made 3-pointers tied his career high, a total he has now reached five times. Clayton had scored 20 points twice before, against Oklahoma City on Dec. 7, 2025, and at Milwaukee on April 5, 2026.

Clayton signed a two-way contract with Dallas on Oct. 21. Through his first five appearances with the Mavericks, he had averaged 4.2 points and 3.0 assists in 11.2 minutes.

Dallas has a bunch of unselfish guys, Clayton said, and any night can be anybody’s night.

“Just I’m willing to adapt to kind of whatever the team needs me to be on whatever night it is, whether that’s with the ball in my hands or without the ball in my hands,” Clayton said. “So just trying to be a team player, do whatever the team needs to win games.”

Clayton played at Iona and Florida before reaching the NBA. Center Daniel Gafford said Clayton is a steady build who is progressing the way he wants to.

“From what I’ve seen, I’ve been a fan of Walt’s game ever since he was at Florida. And just seeing the things that he’s done in a couple of games that he’s actually had good stints,” Gafford said. “He’s a good shooter. He attacks the basket. He facilitates. He communicates with us. He finds ways to show how he’s a true point guard.”

“So it’s just, like I said with Morez, sky’s the limit for him, too, because he’s a steady build, and he’s producing, and he’s progressing like how he wants to,” Gafford continued. “And he got a great guard in his ear, Kyrie Irving, that’s giving him, I’m pretty sure, tips and pointers on just how to be good in his game.”

Walter Clayton Jr. Opens Second Half In Place Of Max Christie

Max Christie went to the floor midway through the second quarter and did not return because of a right hip injury. Clayton replaced him at the 6:59 mark and then started the third quarter alongside Cooper Flagg, Gafford, Caleb Martin, and P.J. Washington.

With 8:14 left in the fourth quarter and Dallas down 91-79, Clayton checked back in. He hit 3-pointers from 24 and 26 feet over the next 2 minutes, 15 seconds, the second cutting Sacramento’s lead to 94-87. He added two free throws at 3:09, a step-back 3 at 1:29, and an assist on Tobi Lawal’s layup in the final minute.

Clayton became the second Maverick this season to score at least 20 points off the bench. Sergio De Larrea, who sat Monday with a right knee sprain, scored 21 against San Antonio on Oct. 24.

Clayton does not think the Mavericks took bad shots Monday.

“Just shots. I think whenever we got paint touches and we was kicking the ball out, we was getting great shots,” Clayton explained. “For me, they fell tonight.”

On nights like Monday, Mavericks coach Dusty May said, Dallas has to make up a shooting deficit in many other areas.

“That’s basketball. When you take Walt out of it, who made four of those seven, we were, what do you think, 3-for-28,” May said. “And so it’s tough to win basketball games like that. You have to have a lot of different areas, the steals, turnovers, getting to the line, which I thought we did a nice job getting to the line. You have to overcome that deficit in so many other areas, and then we just weren’t able to do it.”

Clayton Learning From Kyrie Irving And Dusty May

Kyrie Irving sat out Monday with left knee injury management. He has not wanted to throw everything at Clayton at one time, so the lessons have come in pieces.

“Just a lot, just from a day-to-day standpoint. How he takes care of himself, how he works, and then the mental aspect, too,” Clayton said. “I think he’s been giving me, like, little, he don’t want to throw everything at me at one time. So he’s been giving me, like, little bits and pieces day by day. So it’s definitely great having him, and I’ve been learning a lot.”

Irving is big on a next-play mentality. During games, he will tell Clayton when he could have rejected a screen.

“Just seeing the game, there might be a point where he feels like I could have rejected a screen. He’ll just get in my ear, let me know about that,” Clayton said. “And then the main thing really is just don’t get down on myself. Whenever something bad happens, move on to the next play. He’s big on next-play mentality. So that’s something he’s been preaching to me a lot.”

May is adapting, too, in his first year in the league, Clayton said.

“Man, Dusty’s great. I think he kind of cares about us more, like, even like just being a person,” Clayton said. “So I think that’s big, going out there playing for a coach that cares about you as a person. And he’s just obviously a great basketball mind. Great dude. He’s been just adapting to this as well, his first year in the league. So he’s been great. And I think it’s only going to get better.”

Dallas (4-3) visits the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday at Frost Bank Center. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.