The Dallas Mavericks opened a four-game road trip with against the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center on Friday. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 98-89. Dallas improved to 20-11, while Phoenix fell to 15-15. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 20 points, four rebounds, and five assists. Daniel Gafford followed up with 16 points, five rebounds, and one assist. Maxi Kleber added 15 points, seven rebounds, and one assist.
Spencer Dinwiddie had 15 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Klay Thompson scored 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Quentin Grimes recorded eight points, five rebounds, and one assist. PJ Washington Jr. tallied seven points, three rebounds, and two assists. The Mavericks’ remaining scorers were Naji Marshall, with four points, three rebounds, and two assists, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, with two points and one rebound, and Dwight Powell, with four rebounds and two assists.
Dallas Mavericks-Phoenix Suns Recap
The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns game was action-packed from start to finish. The Mavericks’ injury report ruled out Dereck Lively II with a left hip contusion, Dante Exum with right wrist surgery, and Luka Doncic with a left calf strain. The Suns’ injury report ruled out Devin Booker with left groin soreness, Grayson Allen with concussion protocol, and Bol Bol with a left knee contusion.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup consisted of Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, PJ Washington Jr., and Daniel Gafford. Irving was recently asked about Thompson after the Mavericks’ tough loss to the Timberwolves. In short, Irving responded, with how he congratulated Thompson after the game, told him he was proud of him, and knew he was special — not just with shooting the basketball, but also just being a winner in general.
The Mavericks got off to a fast start in the first quarter, thanks to Kyrie Irving’s three-pointers. The Suns picked up the pace and cut the Mavericks’ lead to single digits. The Mavericks held off the Suns’ surge, thanks to plays, such as Bradley Beal’s corner three-pointer, and led 28-25 at the end of the first. The Mavericks started the second quarter on a 6-0 run, and Daniel Gafford threw down three dunks in a row. The Mavericks led 55-39 at halftime.
Both the Mavericks and Suns overcame a slow start in the third quarter. The Suns increased competition with hot shooting, including when Kevin Durant connected for a three-pointer from deep, but trailed 72-64 through three quarters. The Suns’ shooting continued in the fourth quarter. However, Kevin Durant’s 30-point performance —and 35 points overall — weren’t enough to tie the game and force overtime. The Mavericks won 98-89.
Dallas Mavericks-Phoenix Suns Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns game featured multiple highlights, such as the former NBA Point Guard Jeff Teague not seeing how the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is better than the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum. Teague knows Doncic can pass better and put up crazier numbers but believes Tatum is the better defensive player. Doncic dominates Tatum in triple-doubles with 80, but Tatum’s ability to guard is arguably great.
For the Mavericks, Sporting News posted the Mavericks’ acquisition of the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler, a $146 million NBA All-Star, by cutting ties with PJ Washington Jr. FanSided predicted if the Mavericks work out a deal for Butler, the Mavericks would receive Butler and Josh Richardson, while the Heat would receive PJ Washington Jr., Maxi Kleber, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford, and a 2025 first-round pick.
For the Suns, the Arizona Republic reported the Suns’ active shopping of Jusuf Nurkic ahead of the NBA’s trade deadline. According to Duane Rankin, Phoenix is interested in other NBA centers, such as the Washington Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas and the Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic. Nurkic is averaging 9.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists this season, and will be under contract until next season before becoming a UFA in 2026.
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Mavericks were reportedly honored to play on Christmas, especially a home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Before the game, Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd told Mavs.com, “It shows what the league thinks of the team … It’s an honor to be able to play on Christmas.” Kidd added, “We’ve all watched Christmas games when you’re younger. The big thing is enjoying having that opportunity.”
In a Western Conference Finals rematch, the Grinch stole Christmas from the Mavericks on Wednesday afternoon. Luka Doncic was injured with a left calf strain and didn’t return to the game. The Mavericks’ second-half rally fell short, as the Timberwolves held on and eventually won 105-99. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with a game-high 39 points, 26 of which were scored in the second half, including 15 in the fourth quarter.
The only way the Mavericks would have a Merry Christmas was if Klay Thompson went crazy, which didn’t happen. However, Thompson made some NBA history on Wednesday, as he officially passed Reggie Miller with 2,562 career three-pointers. He trailed Miller by two three-pointers entering the game but dropped in a 28-footer from just left of straight out with 8:49 remaining on the clock.
The Mavericks will continue their road trip with the second game against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Moda Center on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Pacific. The Trail Blazers previously played the Utah Jazz in a home game on Thursday, also in the Moda Center at 7:00 p.m. Pacific. The Trail Blazers defeated the Jazz 122-120 in regulation. Portland improved to 10-20, while Utah fell to 7-22.
