Mavericks vs. Suns Preview: 3 things ahead of Dallas’ matchup with Phoenix

Dallas takes the show on the road as they look to continue their strong start to the season

Dallas and Phoenix are two teams built to accomplish the same thing: win now. After getting swept from the postseason last year, courtesy of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns have tinkered around the edges of their roster, but are largely counting on health and internal development to change the calculus this year. Dallas, meanwhile, added one of the best three-point shooters in the game and a bevy of complimentary defensive pieces. It must be said, the results based on a one-game sample size are looking nice.

After a Game 7 that will live in exaltation/infamy defending on which fan base is talking about it, these two teams and their rosters have developed something of a rivalry, and it always feels a little better when Dallas beats the Suns.

Up to the task

Before Wemby, the league already had a big, lanky forward with guard skills and a sweet shot and it was Kevin Durant. KD is no spring chicken, but he can still fill up the scoresheet with the best of them. It’s fortunate, then, that Dallas just had a stress test against just such a floor-bending player, can came out unscathed.

Durant is coming of an overtime game against the Clippers where he scored a team-leading 25 points. Dallas threw a combination of Dereck Lively, Maxi Kleber, and even Klay Thompson at Wembenyama and held him to just 17 points and four turnovers.

More often than not, Dallas will make headlines for the offense, but they’ve built a stable of competent and capable defenders that are going to be able to give the opposing team’s best players fits.

Start the campaign

Dallas’ newly-extended guard Jaden Hardy impressed against the Spurs. Through halftime, he was out-shooting Klay, going 3-for-4 from deep compared to Thompson’s 2-for-5.

Hardy has always been a bucket-getter, but he also flashed solid vision Thursday night. He was only credited with two assists, but one in particular – a fast-break dish to Lively that led to an and-1 – was picture-perfect execution of the more fast-paced tempo Dallas is trying to run this year. He played 20 minutes and played well enough to keep the more established veteran Spencer Dinwiddie on the bench until garbage time. More of that, please.

If this is going to be indicative of his level of play this year, we may want to start the 6MOTY campaign early.

Respect the touch

In eking out an overtime win against the Clippers, Phoenix held them to 17-for-31 at the rim; under 55%. 31 shots is a healthy amount, and if Dallas can match that number with improved efficiency, it could be smooth sailing.

No shade to Ivica Zubacs, but Lively and Daniel Gafford have proven to be elite finishers at the rim. Combine that with the layup packages Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic bring to the table, and the firepower is there for Dallas to make scoring down low a decided advantage.

How to watch

You can broadcast the game on channel 29, or stream the game with MavsTV at 9:00 CST.

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