Editor's note: As part of "The Stein Line" every Monday, ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein gives his take on things in "Slams and Dunks."

If you're itching to jump to conclusions about the Kings and Mavericks from the first of their four regular-season meetings, jump here: The biggest difference between the teams, besides Sacramento's two inside scoring options to Dallas' zero, is that the Kings' best defenders are flat-out good players.

	Doug Christie doesn't only play tight defense for the Kings. He can score, too.

The Mavericks can't make the same claim. Just as Dallas doesn't have a Chris Webber or Vlade Divac to run its offense through, Dallas also doesn't have a Doug Christie. If Don Nelson wants to put defensive-minded players on the floor, at Christie's position, it's Adrian Griffin or Raja Bell. Another problem: Shawn Bradley, Nelson's defensive anchor, struggles with Webber and Divac ... and the Kings are so tough to zone because they're deadly shooting it and passing it.

The Mavericks' defense has definitely improved but the Kings have a clear advantage here. Christie, Bobby Jackson (when healthy) and even Keon Clark can hurt a team at both ends. Divac is a wily defender and Webber isn't a bad team defender when he wants to be.

The Mavericks are at their most dangerous when a few of their main guys are clicking, but none of the five who qualifies as a mainstay (Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel and Raef LaFrentz) would be mentioned in the same defensive conversation with Christie or Jackson.