The Dallas Mavericks were outmatched in their 121-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game One of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The game was not as close as the final score would indicate, as the Suns rolled right out of the gate. Phoenix never trailed in the game as they raced out to early leads of 9-0, then 18-6, then 22-7.
The Suns made 50.5% of their shot attempts and dominated the rebounding battle 51-36, including 13 offensive rebounds. The win is their tenth straight over the Mavericks dating back to 2019 and their 17th over Dallas in the last 20 matchups.
Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 25 points on 12-of-20 shooting, while Devin Booker added 23. The 6’11’ Ayton dominated the paint and mid-range, hitting an array of turnaround jumpers, runners, and dunks. Booker scored 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting and added six rebounds and four assists in the first quarter.
The Suns showed why they have the NBA’s best record and set a franchise record with 64 wins this year. All five starters scored in double-digits for Phoenix, and Cam Johnson added 17 points off the bench.
Dallas made the score respectable by winning the fourth quarter 35-25 and closing the game on a 24-9 run, but it was not enough to threaten Phoenix’s win.
“We’ll take the win,” Suns guard Chris Paul, who scored 19 points, said. “It’s not always going to be pretty. We played well most of the game. We’ll look at the film tomorrow and see what we need to do differently for Game Two.”
Luka Doncic excelled with 45 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists. It was his sixth 40-point game in 17 career playoff games. He made 15-of-30 shot attempts, including 4-of-11 from three, but Dallas did not get enough firepower from the supporting cast.
“He got whatever he wanted when you look at the shots, you know, in the paint, behind the arc, mid-range,” Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said of Doncic. “We’ve just got to help him, get someone to join the party.”
Maxi Kleber was the only Maverick besides Doncic who looked ready for the challenge. Kleber finished with 19 points and made 5-of-8 three-pointers.
“I thought Maxi and Luka in that first half kept us afloat,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We could have easily been down 39 at halftime but Maxi and LD were good. LD was good in the second half, too.”
The Mavericks stayed in the game in the first half, thanks to Doncic and Kleber. Doncic had 14 points in the first quarter and 26 points at halftime.
Kleber made his first four three-point attempts and 5-of-6 as Dallas pulled within 51-47 midway through the second quarter. But the Suns scored the following five points and finished the half with another run to take a 69-56 lead into halftime.
The 69 points Dallas allowed in the first half was one-point shy of the season-worst 70 first-half points the Miami Heat scored against the Mavericks in early November.
“Our defense lost us the game today,” Luka Doncic said. “Our start on the defensive end was terrible, and we’ve got to change that. I know we can play way better defense, and I know we will.”
The third quarter was more of the same as the Suns took a 96-79 lead into the fourth quarter, and the Mavericks supporting cast could not wake up.
Jalen Brunson, who broke out in the first round with an average of 27.8 points per game against Utah, struggled mightily against Phoenix. He battled foul trouble, picking up two quick fouls in the first quarter, and made just 6-of-16 shot attempts for 13 points.
Reggie Bullock was also vital to the series win over Utah and was a primary defender against the Suns’ All-Star guards. He scored just seven points and fouled out of the game with 2:40 remaining.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who was considered an X-factor after not being on the team for any of the Mavericks’ three losses against the Suns this season, did not score a basket until less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter. He finished with eight points.
Dallas made their run in the fourth quarter after the team went small with the 6’7” Dorian Finney-Smith playing center, and Phoenix appeared to take their foot off the gas pedal.
“We played with a lot more tenacity and fight that fourth quarter. It was everybody moving and talking, so we’ve just got to be that way the whole game.” Finney-Smith said. He was the team’s third-leading scorer with 15 points.
Game Two is on Wednesday in Phoenix.
