Chris Paul recorded 29 points, 12 assists and a season-best four steals to help the visiting Phoenix Suns register a 111-105 victory over the struggling Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
Deandre Ayton scored 18 points and matched his season best of 17 rebounds for Phoenix, which won its second straight game.
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Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder added 14 points apiece and Langston Galloway had 12 points off the bench for the Suns, who defeated Dallas for the fifth straight time.
Luka Doncic scored 18 of his 29 points in the third quarter but the Mavericks’ season-long losing streak was extended to five games.
Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points and Willie Cauley-Stein had 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting and collected nine rebounds for Dallas.
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The Suns were without Devin Booker (hamstring) for the fourth straight game. Kristaps Porzingis (knee) sat out for the Mavericks.
Phoenix was 27 of 31 from the free-throw line compared to 8 of 14 for the Mavericks.
The Suns took control with a late 9-0 burst.
Ayton’s dunk with 3:25 remaining put Phoenix ahead and Paul knocked down a jumper 67 seconds later to make it 100-96.
The duo then teamed up as Paul sent in a lob that Ayton slammed home to make it a six-point margin with 1:44 left. Crowder drained a 3-pointer to make it 105-96 with 1:05 remaining.
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The Mavericks moved within 105-100 on Cauley-Stein’s layup with 19.6 seconds to play before Paul hit six consecutive free throws down the stretch to wrap up his 16-point final quarter.
The Suns connected on 45.7 percent of their field-goal attempts and made 10 of 22 from 3-point range.
Dallas made 53 percent from the field and was 9 of 29 from 3-point range.
The contest was tied at the break before Doncic scored 13 points in the first six minutes of the third quarter. The 19-4 burst saw Dallas open up a 74-59 lead.
Phoenix used an 11-2 surge to pull within six but Doncic responded with back-to-back baskets to give the Mavericks an 80-70 advantage with 1:38 left in the stanza.
Galloway’s jumper with 45.9 seconds left allowed the Suns to move within 82-77 entering the final stanza.
Doncic was on the bench to begin the fourth quarter and Phoenix pounced on the opportunity.
Galloway began the quarter with a 3-pointer, Ayton followed with a tying inside hoop and Cameron Johnson added a 3-pointer to give Phoenix an 85-82 lead with 10:37 remaining.
Doncic re-entered with 6:32 left and the Mavericks holding a 91-90 lead.
–Field Level Media