Kevin Durant led the Phoenix Suns with 31 points, while Jusuf Nurkic contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds, as the Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 114-102 on Saturday night.
The Suns maintained their lead after the first quarter, keeping the Mavericks at bay despite them staying within single digits for much of the game. Luka Doncic scored 40 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Dallas, with Kyrie Irving adding 22 points.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Suns held a 91-80 advantage, which they increased to 105-90 within six minutes. Devin Booker chipped in with 21 points, while rookie Ryan Dunn scored 13 points in his first professional start. Tyus Jones contributed with seven assists.
Phoenix led by as much as 13 points during the first half, ultimately taking a 63-55 lead at halftime.
In terms of performance, Doncic started strong, scoring 23 points in the first half, but struggled to maintain that pace afterward. He finished the game shooting 12 of 25 from the field, including 5 of 13 from beyond the arc. Klay Thompson added 19 points for Dallas, connecting on five 3-pointers.
The Suns bounced back from a previous loss against the Lakers where they squandered a 22-point lead. Notably, guards Bradley Beal (elbow injury) and Grayson Allen (personal reasons) did not play, but Dunn impressed in his starting debut, suggesting he could be a valuable pick from the draft.
A pivotal moment in the game came when Dunn and Durant hit consecutive 3-pointers with about seven minutes remaining, pushing the Suns’ lead to 102-90. Durant then converted a layup while drawing a foul, completing the three-point play to extend the lead to 105-90. This 9-0 run shifted the momentum into a comfortable victory for Phoenix.
The Mavericks struggled with their shooting, hitting just 39.8% of their attempts, and their bench produced only nine points.
Looking ahead, the Suns will face the Lakers again on Monday night, while the Mavericks will return home to take on the Jazz the same evening.