Mavs vs. Suns Preview: Doncic, Irving Battle Durant, Booker In Possible Playoff Prelude

The Dallas Mavericks host the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Sunday afternoon. In the first game with the Suns, since they acquired Kevin Durant, Mavs look to take the lead in a likely playoff preview.

When the Dallas Mavericks traded for the disgruntled and troubled Kyrie Irving, initially, the Western Conference appeared wide-open for a team desperate to reach the competitive pinnacle they achieved last season. 

However, as soon as Irving left, former Brooklyn Nets teammate Kevin Durant followed suit, birthing the new-look Phoenix Suns and, in turn, ripping a hole into the conference's competitive balance. Sunday afternoon sees the two teams battle in what could be a future playoff matchup.

Dallas weathered the storm against. the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday evening in what became a 133-126 win. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 82 points. When the Mavs' stars perform at such an elite level, it's hard to fathom a loss occurring. 

Conversely, the Suns now have the same luxury of having two high-powered scorers. Devin Booker's new teammate allows for more freedom, as his worst basketball fear, the double team, won't happen at the same quantity before the blockbuster trade. 

Aside from the playoff implications surrounding Sunday's matinee matchup, the wrinkle of two former teammates opposing each other in an already-intense rivalry makes for a compelling scenario. Between the "Luka special" comment from Booker, and the Mavs' undeniable shredding of the Suns in Game 7, adding two players with a four-year history to the mix adds a bit of spice to the rivalry. 

Considering the Western Conference's sardine-packed standings, the likelihood of the bitter rivals facing each other again ranks relatively high. Only two losses separate the two, with the Suns currently leading in the standings at the four-seed, with the Mavs just above the play-in tournament's reach as the six-seed. 

Besides the importance of playoff positioning, seizing the mental edge in the superstar-filled matchup is vital to the discussion. 

Will the Mavs capitalize on another marquee matchup, or will Durant play the spoiler to the American Airlines Center crowd?

Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns Injury Report

Dallas Mavericks

• Davis Bertans - probable (left calf strain)
• Maxi Kleber - probable (right hamstring tear)

Phoenix Suns

• Deandre Ayton - questionable (right knee soreness)
• Terrence Ross - probable (right toe soreness)
• Landry Shamet - out (right foot soreness)

FUN FACT: The Dallas Mavs Ball raised $1.8 million for charity. Among the charitable gestures, new Mavs star Irving bid  $25,000 for a Texas State Fair visit along with Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber. 

RECORDS: Dallas Mavericks (33-31), Phoenix Suns (35-29)

WHEN: Sunday, Mar. 5, 2023 - 12:00 p.m. CT

WHERE: American Airlines Center, (Dallas, TX)

TV: ABC

RADIO: 97.1 The Freak

ODDS: The Mavs are favored by one point over the Suns.

FINAL WORD: Kyrie Irving on his bounce-back performance, scoring 40 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

“Luka was ready for the party,” Irving said. “I was ready for the party tonight. It was one of those games where we had some special performances. I’m just grateful that the work translated because it could have gone either way.”

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