Luka Doncic recorded 33 points, eight assists and six rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks halted a 10-game regular-season losing streak against Phoenix by routing the visiting Suns 130-111 on Monday night.
Spencer Dinwiddie sank five 3-pointers and scored 21 points for Dallas, which defeated the Suns in last season’s Western Conference semifinals but notched their first regular-season win in the series since Nov. 29, 2019.
Christian Wood contributed 18 points and nine rebounds, Tim Hardaway Jr. made five 3-pointers and scored 17 points and Josh Green scored 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Mavericks.
In this season’s opener for both teams, the host Suns rallied from a 22-point deficit to post a 107-105 victory over Dallas.
Deandre Ayton registered 20 points and eight rebounds and Cameron Payne added 14 points and 10 assists for the Suns, who lost for just the second time in the past nine games. Mikal Bridges, Damion Lee and Landry Shamet all scored 13 points apiece for Phoenix.
Josh Okogie added 12 points and Devin Booker scored just 11 on 4-of-13 shooting for the Suns.
Chris Paul (heel) missed his 14th straight game for Phoenix.
Jaden Hardy added 10 points for Dallas, which shot 52.4 percent from the field and made 20 of 41 3-point shots. Doncic drained four treys for the Mavericks, who have won back-to-back games after losing five of their previous six games.
The Suns hit just 43.5 percent of their shots, including 13 of 38 from 3-point range.
Dallas began pulling away with a 20-2 run in the opening quarter. Doncic’s layup capped the burst to give the Mavericks a 31-13 lead with 53.6 seconds left in the period.
The score was 33-15 entering the second quarter and Dallas elevated the lead to 24 on Wood’s dunk with 10:54 left.
Phoenix moved within 48-33 on Booker’s 3-pointer with 4:28 remaining in the half. But Dallas responded with a 16-6 run with Hardaway capping it with two treys to make it 64-39 with 36.2 seconds left.
Doncic capped his 24-point half by making a 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds remaining to give the Mavericks a 67-41 halftime advantage.
The Suns used a 12-3 run during the third quarter to move within 76-60 with 6:30 left.
But Dallas built a 96-75 lead by the end of the period and continued to lead by a comfortable margin for the entire final stanza.
–Field Level Media