Suns

Dallas Mavericks phenom Luka Doncic had to be playing with some discomfort for most of Monday's series opener against the Phoenix Suns.

45/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) dunks the ball past Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder (99) during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 43/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts after a call went against the Mavericks during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 42/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) blocks a shot by Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 41/48Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks forward Reggie Bullock (25) in front of the Mavericks bench during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 35/48Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith (10) dunks the ball past Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the third quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 32/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts after a foul call went against the Mavericks during the third quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 27/48Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith (10) is defended by Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the second quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 20/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic falls into the first row of the corwd during the first quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) While attempting a 3-point shot with less than nine minutes to go in the second quarter, Suns forward Jae Crowder accidentally caught Doncic where the sun don’t shine. 19/48Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) during the first quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 18/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) is defended by Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson (23) during the first quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 13/48Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) has his shot blocked by Phoenix Suns guard Landry Shamet (14) during the second quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Dallas, on the other hand, got 45 points from Luka Dončić, but not much from everyone else. Every Suns starter scored in double figures, compared to only three ...

At the same time, Dallas seemed to bother Phoenix a bit by playing super small—taking Kleber off the floor and going with Luka, Brunson, Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, and Dorian Finney-Smith. Dončić was able to find some driving lanes, while Ayton curiously couldn’t take advantage late as well as he did earlier in the night. After a first round matchup that was draining both emotionally and physically, as well as the injury scare with Booker, every minute could end up counting for the Suns. (The Suns had a 140.8 offensive rating in Kleber’s 24 minutes.) Part of this is by design—Luka is always going to be a high usage player, and he’s young enough to carry such a load for Dallas. But it’s a style that often becomes more difficult as the playoffs endure. And how much of that was Phoenix taking its foot off the gas? CP3 will turn 37 during this series, and while he’s still more than capable of winning as either a facilitator or scorer, Phoenix needs to make sure he’s fresh for all four rounds. (He finished with 23 points, anyway.) Cam Payne hit four of his eight attempts after shooting only 29.5% against the Pels. And Jae Crowder and Cam Johnson combined to hit six threes. Phoenix coach Monty Williams said after the game he wasn’t thinking about Round 1 when he gave Paul an extended break in the second, but in general he likes to get Paul extra rest when he can. The big lead the Suns built in the first half—going up by as much as 14 in the second quarter—gave Williams the luxury to ride other units. On the flip side, Luka played 44 minutes and looked a little worse for the wear toward the latter half of the fourth quarter. I just told coach I ain’t play much in the second quarter,” Paul said after the game. Paul, who scored 33 in the Round 1 clincher, played only 29 minutes in the victory, an indicator of how balanced his Phoenix team is. The Suns took Game 1 against the Mavs in their second-round series with a 121–114 win.

Despite a big night from Luka Doncic, Phoenix uses its guard depth and the play of center Deandre Ayton to build a 1-0 lead in the West semifinals.

Of course, Phoenix coach Monty Williams wasn’t happy with Doncic hitting the Suns for 45 points. Doncic still managed to fire up a game-high 11 3-point attempts as the Mavericks attempted 39 of them overall. Kidd is correct, considering the other Mavericks starters not named “Doncic” combined to score just 39 points. For the most part, Phoenix excelled at staying in front of Doncic and the rest of Dallas’ playmakers. It’s clear Phoenix understands just how easily Doncic can make a defense start scrambling, and the Suns want no parts of that. Doncic managed to rack up 14 points in the first frame. Whenever Doncic and Maxi Kleber were both in the game, the Suns switched everything to keep the point guard from finding the power forward for open looks. Phoenix hardly ever ran extra defenders at Doncic to make him give up the ball. Kleber still hit 5 of 6 from deep in the first half for 16 points. Doncic became the youngest player since Kobe Bryant in 2001 to pour in 45 points with at least 10 rebounds in a playoff contest. He started off the night sizzling, hitting four of his first six shots. Cameron Johnson chipped in a playoff career-high 17 points, while veteran point guard Chris Paul simply blessed us with the best field goal percentage by a guard over any two-game playoff span (21-of-27 shooting over his last two games) in scoring his 19 points on 7 of 13 from the floor.

Your weekly Inside the Suns analysis straight from the BSotS community who live and breathe the team.

Rod: They can’t best the Suns with a small ball lineup as they did with the Jazz but I don’t doubt them trying it. But their primary goal initially is probably to do everything they can to stop CP3. He’s the one who is pretty healthy, and he’s the guy that runs this whole team. Rod: On offense, the Suns definitely need to feed Deandre Ayton the ball and attack the basket. Alex S: Mavs are going to try to throw everything at Booker and make the “others” beat them. On defense, the Suns are going to have to play great perimeter D. Dallas leads everybody in three-point attempts (41.6 per game) and hits a very respectable 37.1% from downtown. he does like the playoffs, and seems to usually turn it on a bit more in them. With the Pels, the Suns seemed to think they could “flip the switch” and get wins when ever they wanted. GuarGuar: I think Dallas is really going to try and get us in foul trouble. The other guys are going to need to step up in the early games of the series against the Mavs. And that’s a tall ask given that Mikal is going to have all he can handle on the defensive side with Luka. I really hope Ayton steps up. Sun-Arc: Lots to unpack with this next series- but if I have to focus on one area it would be: Energy. The Suns won the most games in the regular season because they outworked everyone else in 78% of their games. My hope is Book looks to be 80%+ by game 1 and can take on more workload as the series progresses. The Suns are off to a 1-0 series lead following a solid performance in game one by their starters and key bench players.

The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns face off on Wednesday in Phoenix in Game 2 of their NBA Playoffs series.

Warriors vs. Mavs vs. Celtics vs. Warriors vs. Mavs vs. Celtics vs. - 76ers vs. - 76ers vs. Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. NBA Finals MVP NBA Championship Jason Radowitz writes: "What was most obvious in the first game is Dallas' inability to defend inside the arc.

Can Phoenix make the memories of last year's NBA Finals collapse fade this postseason?

And now you have to find whatever it is to step on that floor and respect your opponent with your ‘A’ game every time you step out there.” And that allows for you to bring your ‘A’ game every time you step on the floor. “And when you put the stats up on the screen and show the guys, you have to have what we call the appropriate fear. They were up 2-0 before Giannis Antetokounmpo took over, when Paul’s injured left wrist posed a bigger problem than we’d realized and the Suns had no answer for the unofficial Bucks sweep that followed. Can these Suns do the same? The Suns finished eight games up on second-place Memphis. It served the Suns well against the Pelicans, who commanded their respect in a series that came with so many emotional ties between the two teams. At the moment, it means realizing Luka Dončić is the kind of special player who can have 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists yet still leave you feeling as if he could have been so much better. When Phoenix beat New Orleans in Game 1 of the first round, first-year Suns center and three-time champion JaVale McGee reminded his teammates that they only needed 15 more wins to reach the basketball promised land. “We just talked about appropriate fear,” Williams said when I asked about his chosen message to his team entering this series. But this was a far cry from the madhouse scene that followed nearly every playoff win last season. Yet it was as if even the Suns’ most ardent loyalists knew this 121-114 win was nothing to write home about, not only because the team let it get close at the end after leading by 21 points midway through the fourth quarter, but also because, well, there’s a much bigger prize in play here.

Luka Doncic led the way for the Mavericks, falling just short of a triple-double with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. He either scored or assisted on ...

I thought the Mavs were about to force a turnover on Booker near the baseline. But nope, it's a foul, and Booker wants a review because Dinwiddie hit him in the eye Even acknowledging that Doncic got a bunch of points toward the end of the game in a failed comeback attempt, it's probably not a great sign that he nearly put up a 40-point triple-double and the Mavericks were easily outplayed. He finished with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists on 15 of 30 from the field in over 44 minutes, recording his sixth career 40-point game in the playoffs. A calf strain kept Luka Doncic out of the first three games of the postseason, and even now he does not seem to be at 100 percent. He either scored or assisted on 23 of the Mavericks' 37 made field goals (62.1 percent) while has on the floor. It took over four minutes for Deandre Ayton to get his first basket -- an and-one layup off a feed from Devin Booker in the pick-and-roll -- but once he got on the board he could not be stopped. There were a few stretches where the Mavericks got red-hot from 3-point land and Luka Doncic started going off, but none of it mattered because the Suns got whatever they wanted on the offensive end. Luka Doncic led the way for the Mavericks, falling just short of a triple-double with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. This was a classic Suns performance: 50.5 percent from the field; 39.3 percent from 3-point land; no one over 25 points but seven different players with at least nine; just nine turnovers as a team. Deandre Ayton was terrific against the Mavericks' small frontcourt, finishing with 25 points and eight rebounds on 12 of 19 from the field, while Devin Booker went for 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Just 14 seconds into the game, Chris Paul hit a mid-range jumper to give the Suns a lead they would never surrender.

The Dallas Mavericks opened their Western Conference Semifinals bid with a 121-114 defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the series.

It was another impressive performance from him though it still didn’t result in a win as the Suns gained a 1-0 series lead over the Mavericks. Without a doubt, Doncic will have to maintain his high level of production as Dallas’ top option just for the team to keep it close against a more talented Phoenix squad. Many things have to align for Dallas, especially on the offensive end, if the team wants to put up a legitimate threat against Phoenix. The Mavericks can increase their chances of winning if Luka Doncic puts up another high-scoring outing and receives better production from his supporting cast. It was certainly not enough for the Mavericks as they needed more production from Doncic’s supporting cast, especially from him in order to keep up with a strong team like the Suns. They managed to shoot a respectable 41.0% from beyond the arc as compared to the Suns’ 39.3% in Game 1 of the series. The Dallas Mavericks opened their Western Conference Semifinals bid with a 121-114 defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the series. Luka Doncic had another stellar outing for Dallas though it wasn’t enough to lead his team to victory despite being able to trim the margin a bit in the fourth quarter.

The Phoenix Suns come into Wednesday night's Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals as sizeable favorites over the Dallas Mavericks.

The over also hit, as the two teams combined for 235 total points on the night. The Phoenix Suns come into Wednesday night’s Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals as sizeable favorites over the Dallas Mavericks. Phoenix Suns enter Game 2 as sizeable favorites over Dallas Mavericks

A sports television personality likes the Dallas Mavericks' chances of beating the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Playoffs after Game 1 of the series.

The Suns have the better roster. The Suns might have the better coach. … I believe the Pelicans come back to Phoenix for Game 7. He's doing it because he's trying to play some mind games that will not work with the Dallas Mavericks … This series is going to be a war. Did it despite Jae Crowder going full Chris Paul and kicking him in the groin mid-game. "Suns have no answer for Luka. Phoenix got every rebound & hit 3 desperation end of shot clock shots in the 2nd half that killed any comeback attempt.

The Suns led by 21 late in game, but Mavericks pulled to within five points in the closing minute to make it close.

“Them dudes were being relentless,” Ayton said of the Mavericks in that run. The Suns were a step slow and the Pelicans ran all over them. You all remember last round right, against the Pelicans? The Suns blew them out in Game 1 for three quarters before letting the game get tighter in the fourth quarter of an eventual 11-point win. So, I think we picked it up in that area, which led to early success for us in the game.” “Don’t take your foot off of it because they know, they know.” But a lot of it just seemed like the Suns starters had checked out, lost their ability to make a basket. “I think we still missed more shots than we usually do, but we liked the looks that we were getting. In an eight-minute span from 8:48 to 0:54 of the 4th, the Suns were ice cold. Dallas went super-small in this stretch — with Luka as the ‘big’ man and shooters/drivers all around — to change up the game. The bad finish wasn’t necessarily for lack of effort. The Suns are a heavy favorite in this series now. After JaVale McGee’s steal/dunk put the Suns up 21 points with 8:48 left, many teams would have thrown in the towel.

GAME 2: DALLAS MAVERICKS (0-1) at PHOENIX SUNS (1-0). Time: 9 p.m., Wednesday. Place: Footprint Center, Phoenix. TV: TNT. Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; ...

They shot 63.6 percent in the first half, 50 percent in the third quarter. Crowder finished with 11 points and eight rebounds . . . After Game 2, there will be a quick turnaround for the Suns, traveling on Thursday for Friday’s Game 3 at American Airlines Center. He didn’t play poorly, but he did have shooting problems (6-of-16, 1-of-6 in the first half). He had three points and three fouls at halftime and finished with 13 points. That was the best plus-minus on the team in the series opener . . . The Suns did not miss a free throw in Game 1 (18-for-18). That was a key considering the Mavericks shot 18-of-25 for 72 percent. About the Suns: They did a lot of things well in Game 1, but their best asset continues to be putting the ball in the basket. Ayton finished with 25 points and eight rebounds . . . The Suns are up 1-0 without a monster night from Chris Paul. He had a quiet 19 points, three assists and five rebounds on Monday. It’s worth noting, though, that the Suns were plus-14 while Paul was on the floor. The Suns believe they have the quickness, size and physicality to play all the Mavericks one-on-one. That’s a big reason why they’ve scored 110 or more points in six of those seven . . . Deandre Ayton hit 12 of his first 15 shots in Game 1. The Suns have shot 50 percent or better in all seven playoff games thus far. Speaking of Dinwiddie, he could muster just eight points in 30 minutes off the bench in Game 1 . . . But the biggest adjustment has to be rebounding. That’s part of the fallout of playing small lineups, which Kidd said will continue . . . Luka Dončić will have a tough time topping his Game 1 effort (45 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists). Now, as Kidd said it’s time for somebody else “to join the party.” About the Mavericks: They got blitzed in Game 1 with a 22-7 haymaker right out of the gate and never fully recovered.

Dallas found late success with a smaller lineup in Game 1, while Phoenix is already preparing to counter it.

“There were some miscommunications in transition that we were trying to get to our man instead of just finding a guy and then figuring it out later on in the possession,” Williams explained. But some, we can certainly take out just with transition defense, and just the ability to guard the ball, and not have to help with something that’s hard against them, but we feel we can do a better job [of].” That’s just the way we play.” “We’ve got to attack more paint.” Williams and the Suns anticipate as much in Game 2, as well as more 3-point attempts from the visitors. The Mavericks jacked 39 shots from range in Game 1. “I just feel like no matter who’s in there – small-ball lineup or a bigger lineup – if we’re playing hard from the beginning of the game, it’s gonna put us in a better position to be successful. So, we’ve got to do the same thing. “We eased into the game,” Brunson said Tuesday before Dallas’ practice session. But that duo combined over 30 minutes apiece to shoot 9 of 21 in Game 1, finishing plus-2 and minus-7, respectively. We went and looked at the film, [and saw] we missed a number of bunnies around the basket. “But there’s a certain way we like to play, and we felt like we had decent control of the game.

The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat secured wins in Game 1 of their respective second round playoff series: Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 106-92 while ...

"We just were able to get organized in the second half. A 10-0 run in the third followed by a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter were enough to secure victory. We did it with a little bit more thought and discipline, and just that extra effort ignited everyone on the team." The rest of the 76ers didn't fare much better, shooting 6-for-34 from three-point range and conceding 15 turnovers that yielded 22 points for the Heat. "Our start on the defensive end was terrible, and we've got to change that. We played well most of the game.

PHOENIX (AP) — After a brief hiatus, the Phoenix Suns that bulldozed through the regular-season schedule made an appearance on Monday night.

The Mavericks stayed in the game for a while thanks to Doncic and Kleber, who hit his first four 3-pointers. Fitzgerald is a part-owner of the franchise. Mavericks: Doncic scored 14 points in the first quarter on 5 of 9 shooting. Phoenix extended its lead to 18-6 midway through the first quarter before a discombobulated Dallas called timeout. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. They shot 50.5% from the field, won the rebounding edge 51-36 and beat the Mavericks for the 10th straight time, counting regular season games.

Luka Doncic scorched the Suns with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists on Monday -- outscoring the rest of the Mavs' starting lineup -- but it wasn't ...

"Our start on the defensive end was terrible, and we've got to change that. We've got to attack more paint." "We've just got to attack more paint," said Doncic, whose career postseason scoring average of 33.4 points matches that of Michael Jordan for the highest in NBA history. According to ESPN Stats & Information data, Doncic had 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting with Bridges as the primary defender. Sixth man Spencer Dinwiddie, the other player Dallas relies on as an offensive creator, was held to eight points on 3-of-8 shooting. The rest of the Mavs' starters combined for only 39 points, the second time in Doncic's 17 career playoff games that he scored more points than the other four players in Dallas' starting lineup.

The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are the top seeds in the playoffs and at the moment, they look like it coming off impressive performances.

He stayed in the game to take his free throw but looked shaken. Doncic — as usual — has been fabulous but if the Mavs can't find him some help this could be a short series. — KEEP AN EYE ON: Dallas G Jalen Brunson. Arguably the biggest reason the Mavs are still playing in this postseason is Brunson, who was had some big games when Doncic missed the first three contests of the Jazz series with a strained calf. Mavs guard Luka Doncic was phenomenal with 45 points but needs help for the Dallas to get a road win. — NEED TO KNOW: The Suns were dominant for most of Game 1, looking much more like the team that led the NBA with 64 regular season wins. That, combined with the possibility of Embiid returning at some point, would be a huge boost to the 76ers. Tobias Harris -- who was great against the Heat in the regular season -- had a game-high 27 points. ... To get in the game and let that pressure take us out of that, it’s not disheartening but really troubling.” As for the Mavericks, they need someone to help Luka Doncic, who scored 45 points, had 12 rebounds and eight assists in Game 1. We have to go back to the drawing board. Phoenix held on for a 121-114 win and said the game taught them a valuable lesson. Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and Chris Paul had 19 in Game 1 in a balanced and mostly dominant performance.

PHOENIX (AP) — Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the top-seeded Phoenix Suns rolled to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Maverick.

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. The Suns never trailed, jumping to a 9-0 lead in the opening minutes and rarely let off the gas. And as would be expected, he was missed.

The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are the top seeds in the playoffs and at the moment, they look like it coming off impressive performances.

He stayed in the game to take his free throw but looked shaken. Doncic — as usual — has been fabulous but if the Mavs can’t find him some help this could be a short series. — KEEP AN EYE ON: Dallas G Jalen Brunson. Arguably the biggest reason the Mavs are still playing in this postseason is Brunson, who was had some big games when Doncic missed the first three contests of the Jazz series with a strained calf. Mavs guard Luka Doncic was phenomenal with 45 points but needs help for the Dallas to get a road win. — NEED TO KNOW: The Suns were dominant for most of Game 1, looking much more like the team that led the NBA with 64 regular season wins. Tobias Harris — who was great against the Heat in the regular season — had a game-high 27 points. That, combined with the possibility of Embiid returning at some point, would be a huge boost to the 76ers. … To get in the game and let that pressure take us out of that, it’s not disheartening but really troubling.” — NEED TO KNOW: Miami’s Bam Adebayo was 8 for 10 from the floor in Game 1, Tyler Herro got his shooting stroke back and the Heat won without a big night from Jimmy Butler (15 points). But the 76ers found things that they liked; zone defense worked to a certain extent, though exposed Philadelphia a bit on the offensive glass. As for the Mavericks, they need someone to help Luka Doncic, who scored 45 points, had 12 rebounds and eight assists in Game 1. Phoenix held on for a 121-114 win and said the game taught them a valuable lesson. Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and Chris Paul had 19 in Game 1 in a balanced and mostly dominant performance.

Johnson was a finalist along with Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro and Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love. The Suns forward received one first-place vote, 27 ...

The last Phoenix player to bring home the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award was the Brazilian Blur Leandro Barbosa back in 2006-07 during the Seven Seconds or Less Suns era. Phoenix Suns wing Cam Johnson finished in third place for the 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, the league announced on Tuesday. Phoenix Suns’ Cam Johnson gets 3rd in NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are top seeds in the NBA playoffs and at the moment they look like it, coming off impressive performances.

He's in the middle of a postseason run. So Williams didn't even remember the Phoenix Suns named him head coach exactly three years ago to the day, May 3, 2019.

“I prayed about it, and it was the only place I had peace about coming,” Williams said. “I love the city. “He was basically running that,” Johnson said. “It’s not easy to win in this league,” Kidd said. “I think you just do the best job where you are,” Williams said. I think it was solidified with the conversations I had with the players that I talked to that week and the organization putting their arms around me.” “It was a true like, 'we’re so happy you’re here.'” “And I don’t mean that from just an organization standpoint. “I didn’t know if I was going to get a chance,” Williams said. I was going to EuroBasket, going to practices. “I may be a scout for the rest of my life,” a laughing Williams said. “And I was having a ball.

The Phoenix Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 121-114 in Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinals series on Monday, giving them an early edge in this ...

How they defend the Suns is unknown and maybe there is not a way they can stop them in this series, but Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton combined for 67 points in Game 1. We will update this story daily with results and updated betting lines, so bookmark it and follow along for the next two months of a wide-open postseason.CLICK HERE. We all know what Chris Paul and Devin Booker can do on the floor, but Deandre Ayton has been a question mark at times this season. In their first-round series against New Orleans, Ayton averaged 20.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and shot 70% from the floor. Devin Booker looked pretty normal given that he suffered a hamstring injury in his team’s previous playoff series and overall, the Suns really did not struggle on Monday night. Compared to the Suns and all the talent they have up and down their roster, the Mavericks just do not have the same amount of firepower to match up with Phoenix in a seven-game series, which is why defense is going to be the only way Dallas can potentially keep things close.

Some teams can panic when their opponent starts to put pressure on them, but Phoenix has a clear identity and knows exactly what they're capable of on both ends ...

The Suns are truly a fantastic two-way team and it showed in Game 1. Unless the Mavs’ entire rotation comes to play every single night, the Suns should have no problems advancing to the conference finals. Doncic is going to do his damage but the Suns also hounded him and played very physically. The Suns are able to slow the game down and respond when it’s necessary. They lived from the three-point line in the opening round, but their opponent was Utah, not the Suns. Williams’ group was staying in front of the shooters and will continue to do so. The top-seeded Phoenix Suns took care of business in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, winning 121-114.