The Dallas Mavericks concluded their two-game homestand against the Phoenix Suns in a Sunday matinee. Both teams battled for the 10th seed for the final Play-In Tournament spot in the Western Conference. The Mavericks lost to the Suns 125-116 at the American Airlines Center. Dallas fell to 32-33 and lost its fifth straight game, while Phoenix improved to 30-34 and won one game.
Naji Marshall led the Mavericks with 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists. Klay Thompson followed up with 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. Brandon Williams added 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Max Christie had 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Dante Exum scored 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Kessler Edwards recorded 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Dallas Mavericks-Phoenix Suns Recap
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns game was short-handed. The Mavericks ruled out Anthony Davis with a left adductor strain, Daniel Gafford with a right knee sprain, Dereck Lively II with a right ankle stress fracture, Jaden Hardy with a right ankle sprain, Kai Jones with a left quad strain, Kyrie Irving with a torn ACL in his left knee, Olivier-Maxence Prosper with a right wrist sprain, and PJ Washington Jr. with a right ankle sprain.
The Suns’ issues are at the forefront. On Saturday, The Arizona Republic published an article that Kevin Durant wasn’t the only hot-button topic but also the Suns’ Owner Mat Ishbia, who might not learn from his mistakes. The Suns ruled out Cody Martin with a sports hernia and Monte Morris with low back injury management. The Suns’ starting lineup featured Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bol Bol, and Nick Richards.
Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd acknowledged that he had no clear-cut No. 1 offensive option. Kidd’s No. 1 option is Irving, but Irving, 32, tore the ACL in his left knee on Monday and will be out for the rest of the season. Kidd’s thoughts were simple: “Everyone touches it, and whoever is open shoots it.” The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Brandon Williams, Max Christie, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, and Kessler Edwards.
Both teams set the tone to open the first quarter. Thompson knocked down a tough three-pointer, while Nick Richards threw down an insane poster dunk. The Suns’ defense picked up the pace. The Suns’ late 8-0 run led to a 32-24 lead at the end of the first. The Suns’ dominance continued in the second quarter. Richards got a big bucket. The Mavericks showed toughness as Martin got to the floater. The Suns took a 60-54 lead into halftime.
Both teams shared similar scoring in the third quarter. Marshall provided more than just defense. Marshall led the Mavericks in points and assists. Mason Plumlee had back-to-back throwdowns. The Suns hung tough with a 97-86 lead through three quarters. Marshall continued to shine in the fourth quarter. Marshall’s steal led to Thompson’s catch-and-shoot three-pointer. The Phoenix Suns stayed the course for a 125-116 win in regulation.
Mavericks vs. Suns Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns game featured multiple highlights, such as the Mavericks’ Power Forward Anthony Davis breaking his silence to speak about his Mavericks debut on February 6, 2025. Davis, 31, scored 26 points in 31 minutes before suffering a left adductor strain. Davis’s powerful performance electrified fans, despite fans’ Luka Doncic trade protests. He just fed off the energy of the crowd.
For the Mavericks, the celebration of Women’s History Month continued Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies. MavsTV featured an all-female broadcasting team with Kylen Mills as a play-by-play broadcaster and Raegan Pebley and Dana Larson as analysts. Mills does college basketball play-by-play on FS1, Big Ten Network, and The CW, Larson hosts Mavs CenterCourt, and Pebley serves as the Los Angeles Lakers Sparks’ GM.
For the Suns Durant provided veteran mentorship to rookie Forward Ryan Dunn. Durant, 36, joined Dunn, 22, in the stands of the latter’s older brother Justin Dunn’s game for the Chicago White Sox in Glendale, Arizona. For the younger Dunn, quickly building a rapport with Durant has been one of the most meaningful parts of his rookie season in Phoenix.
Final Thoughts
Ja Morant scored 31 points as the Memphis Grizzlies rallied against the Dallas Mavericks, 122-111, before a sellout crowd of 20,010 at American Airlines Center on Friday. Morant, 25, led the Grizzlies with 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists. TCU alum Desmond Bane added 27 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. Brandon Clarke had 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists.
The Mavericks gave updates about Davis, Lively II, and Gafford on Friday. Davis, 31, has been improving daily, which led the team to clear him for more dynamic, on-court movements. Lively II, 21, has had a recent re-evaluation, is progressing in his rehabilitation, and is doing individual court work. Gafford, 26, has progressed and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Legion Hoops’ post on X, formerly Twitter, sparked mixed emotions. Legion Hoops wrote, “Anthony Davis: “I know who I am as a player. I’m top 75 of all time, and I just want to let the Dallas fans know like, ‘Hey, I got you, I’m here now.‘ So, like, I know you lost a superstar in Luka, but you also gain a superstar like myself.” One user responded, “AD’s right. He’s a champion.” Another wrote, “Cool, Luka will be Top 10 All Time.”
The Mavericks will take on their I-35 rival, the San Antonio Spurs, on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Central. On Friday, ESPN’s Michael C. Wright published a feature about De’Aaron Fox, the newest San Antonio Spur, pumping iron alone at Frost Bank Center after his teammates went home. Fox, 27, told ESPN that he truly wanted to play for one team his whole career. However, things changed after the then-head coach, Mike Brown, was abruptly fired.
