SACRAMENTO, CALIF. ? Doug Christie simply would not let the Sacramento Kings be eliminated in Arco Arena — even with Nick Van Exel almost singlehandedly trying to put Dallas into the conference finals.

Christie had 20 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal to lead the Kings to a 115-109 victory Thursday over the Mavericks, evening their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series at 3-3.

Kings coach Rick Adelman threw his arm up in the air in excitement during the final seconds. Game 7 is Saturday night in Dallas.

The Mavs remain one win away from their first trip to the conference finals, while the Kings’ quest for the franchise’s first title in 52 years is still alive.

Van Exel scored 35 points on 15-for-23 shooting in 37 minutes, and the Kings had no one who could guard him. He leapt high for a rebound and scored on a putback with 8:16 left for a 95-94 lead, but the Mavs then went cold and didn’t get another basket for 5:05.

Dirk Nowitzki added 21 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas, while Michael Finley had 21 points, seven boards and four assists.

Peja Stojakovic had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings, who played their fourth game in the series without injured standout Chris Webber. Sacramento overcame a sluggish first quarter and converted 31 of 32 free throws, including 30 straight. Reserves Bobby Jackson and Jim Jackson had 21 and 16 points.

Dallas, eliminated in five games by Sacramento last season, did not want to go the distance in this series after being pushed to the limit by Portland in the first round.

It was an impressive show by the teams’ sixth men — Bobby Jackson and Van Exel, who practically traded baskets the entire second quarter.

Jackson came off the bench to score nine straight in the second, including a steal and layup with 4:47 left for a 44-37 lead. Jim Jackson also made some clutch hoops, scoring 10 in the period as the Kings took a 57-52 halftime lead.

Adelman was desperate to see his Kings play well for all 48 minutes after they blew an early lead in Game 5 with an atrocious third quarter when the Kings shot just 3-for-25. Their 10 points were the fewest ever by a Dallas opponent in a postseason quarter.

On Thursday, even when they got second shots early in the game, the Kings couldn’t convert. But they improved their ball movement in the second quarter to score many easy hoops and get back in the game despite 7-foot-1 center Vlade Divac not getting a rebound in the first half.

Sacramento was outshot 48.8 percent to 41.5 percent, but the Kings got 15 offensive rebounds to six for Dallas.