Not all the duels of “Rivals Week” are necessarily real rivalries but, between the Suns and the Mavericks, there is something. A permanent tension, resulting from their series of playoffs, which rubs off on everyone.
Kyrie Irving absent at the last minute, following a thumb injury, the Mavericks are off to a very strong start.
Luka Doncic is absolutely untenable, hitting from far and close, finding Derek Lively II in the alley-oop or his shooters. And in the middle of the second quarter, Dallas is already +16 (51-35) behind a 10/14 from a distance!
Kevin Durant is clumsy, pushed around by Grant Williams determined to make him feel his defensive presence, and the two men even collect technical fouls following a first collision.
The problem for the Mavs is that this great energy at the start of the match will evaporate. Luka Doncic already seems to be on the knees (or injured) and all of Dallas is coughing. Tim Hardaway Jr. shoots into the void, unlike Devin Booker, who will score 30 points in a quarter and a half to completely turn the game around.
While the gap had approached 30 points, Luka Doncic found a little energy to halve it. But Devin Booker and company take care and finish the job (132-109).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– A duel always tense. It's still quite heated between the Mavericks and the Suns, since their famous series in the playoffs. Even those who weren't there got involved, like Grant Williams who wanted to show Kevin Durant that he was ready for the fight. His little provocation in the first quarter, when he came into the legs of a downed KD, turned against him in the third quarter, when he got annoyed that Jusuf Nurkic was chambering him. Enough to be expelled following a second technical foul while Luka Doncic had a Suns fan ejected from him, who explained to him that he looked tired and that he should go for a run…
– Luka Doncic and the two-faced Mavs. The problem is that it wasn't necessarily wrong for the Slovenian. Was he tired or injured? In any case, the difference between the Mavericks' first quarter and a half and the next quarter and a half is frightening. From +16 (51-35) to -22 (78-100) in 18 minutes!
– Devin Booker shines, Kevin Durant doesn’t force it. It was Devin Booker who sounded the revolt for the Suns, facing the Mavericks who had started too quickly and who ran out of steam, no longer making the effort to come back on defense. The leader/guard took the opportunity to score 46 points, including 30 between the middle of the second quarter and the end of the third. Enough to turn Dallas around and allow Kevin Durant (12 points) to not have to force it.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
