‘Time To Join The Party’: Mavs vs. Suns Game 2 Preview, Odds

The Mavericks look to rebound and even the series vs. the dominant Suns in a hostile Phoenix environment on Wednesday night.

The Dallas Mavericks look to rebound and even the series vs. the dominant Suns in a hostile Phoenix environment on Wednesday night. 

Phoenix leads the second round best-of-seven series, 1-0, after snagging a 121-114 wire-to-wire win at home in Game 1. As deflating as the first game of the series was for the Mavs, they rallied at the end by out-scoring the Suns 35-25 in the fourth quarter to provide some optimism heading into Game 2.

Dallas' stout defense, which improved from 20th to sixth in Defensive Rating in just one season, will face a huge challenge in slowing Phoenix. The Suns have shot 50 percent or better in all seven playoff games thus far.

LUKA MAGIC: Doncic registered a game-high 45 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and a game-high-tying 8 assists in a game-high 44 minutes in Game 1. He joined Kevin Durant and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to go for 45+ points, 12+ rebounds and 8+ assists in a playoff game.

After Doncic's dominance in Game 1, coach Jason Kidd made Dallas' game plan very simple...

"We've just got to get someone to join the party."

The Suns also swept the 2021-22 regular season series, 3-0.... So a win in Game 2 would be Dallas' first this season. The defending Western Conference champion Suns produced the NBA’s best regular season record of 64-18.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (0-1) at PHOENIX SUNS (1-0)

WHEN: Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 9:00 p.m. CT

LOCATION: Footprint Center (Phoenix, AZ)

TV/RADIO: TNT, BSSW, 97.1 The Eagle (KEGL)

DALLAS INJURY REPORT: Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery) is out.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Luka Doncic

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Luka Doncic

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Luka Doncic

ODDS: The Mavs are currently 6.5-point underdogs to the Suns.

NEXT: The series shifts to Dallas for two games, tipping off at 8:30 p.m. CT on Friday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

VOTE: Doncic has been named as a finalist for the 2021-22 NBA Cares Community Assist Award. An NBA executive panel and fans will determine which player wins the award. If you're a Mavs fan, or even just a Doncic fan in general, you can vote for him now. 

QUOTABLE: Dwight Powell on rebounding better in Game 2:

"We just got to lock in, especially on their offensive rebounders. Cracking their guys. Sometimes you have the opportunity to sandwich guys on rebounds, especially when there’s a mismatch. That’s pretty much what it comes down to.”