Devin Booker scored 26 points, Jordan Goodwin passed his season-high in the first half and the Phoenix Suns earned their fourth straight victory, a 123-114 decision over the host Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with a game-high 19 points and made six 3-pointers coming off the bench. Rookie Cooper Flagg, after posting a season-high 26 points Monday, had 16 and appeared to hurt his left shoulder in the first quarter.
PJ Washington left with a shoulder injury midway through the first quarter and did not return for Dallas, which has lost six of its last seven games.
The Mavericks were already without Anthony Davis, who missed his seventh straight game with a calf injury. According to an ESPN report released Wednesday, Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont was going to review medical data to ensure Davis was not at risk of re-injuring his calf before returning to action.
After trailing by double digits for much of the second half, the Mavericks went on an 11-3 run in the final five minutes to pull within 115-112, but Phoenix had the final push. The Suns’ Grayson Allen got a crucial basket on a goalie call on Daniel Gafford with 1:25 left. Allen then made two free throws with 24.3 seconds remaining. He finished with 23 points for the Suns, who improved to 2-4 on the road.
The tone of the game changed at the end of the first quarter. Dallas had built a 28-18 lead thanks to a corner three from Naji Marshall and another three from Thompson, when Phoenix closed the quarter on a 12-0 run, highlighted by seven points from Goodwin, to take a 30-28 lead. Goodwin finished with 13 points – all before halftime.
After D’Angelo Russell’s layup put Dallas ahead 32-30, the Suns went on a 9-0 run, getting two more threes from Goodwin and a three from Allen to take a 39-32 lead.
Phoenix’s first-half lead would max out at 59-47 when Dillon Brooks converted on a three-point play. Phoenix took a 63-53 lead into halftime.
There was a scary moment for Dallas in the first quarter when Flagg grabbed his left shoulder after absorbing contact on a drive down the lane. Flagg briefly left the game, but returned after missing three minutes of action.
While Flagg was in the locker room, Washington collided with Suns forward Dillon Brooks during a drive in the hallway and began favoring his left shoulder. Washington entered the locker room as Flagg was leaving, but Washington did not return.
The Mavericks were playing their first game since the firing of general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday morning.
–Field level media
