Highlights, Live Blog: Suns Host Mavericks in Season Opener

Keep up to date with the latest happenings as the Phoenix Suns host the Dallas Mavericks in the 2022-23 regular season opener.

Welcome to Inside The Suns' live blog for the regular season opener between the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. Here you can find live updates on Wednesday night's meeting between the two Western Conference teams who look to avenge their postseason fate the last time they took the court:

It was a barn burner in Phoenix as the Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 107-105 at the Footprint Center. The Suns trailed by as much as 22 points into the third quarter but clutch play by Devin Booker and Damion Lee clutched up a win. The Suns' preseason struggle against defending the three did not improve against the Mavericks who shot 40% beyond the arc. 

The Phoenix Suns Defeat the Dallas Mavericks 107-105. 

End of Game

1.2 - Dončić with a 34-foot three to win the game misses

9.7 - Lee makes a gusty 2-point shot, 107-105

Payne enters the game for Craig.

The Suns call a full timeout.

Dončić makes his free throw, 105-105 All

32.8 - Dončić makes a driving layup and a foul by, 105-104 Phoenix.

Mavericks call a full timeout.

46.2 - Lee missed 3-point shot rebounded by Wood.

Dončić makes both free throws, 105-102 Phoenix.

1:21 - Payne personal foul against Dončić.

Booker makes the free throw, 105-100.

Dončić charged with a technical after chucking the ball in frustration. Booker will take the shot for the Suns.

1:38 - Booker to Lee for a crowd roaring three, 104-101.

Suns lead for the first time since 5:09 in the first quarter.

3:10 - Booker to Payne for the lead, 101-100 Phoenix.

3:32 - Dončić with a big miss and the Suns rebound.

3:49 - Payne to Lee for a 3-point jumper, 100-99 Dallas.

Johnson with cramps is unlikely to return for Phoenix.

Dinwiddie misses both free throws.

4:05 Booker shooting foul called against Dinwiddie.

4:23 - Booker to Ayton for another hook shot, 100-96 Dallas.

Dončić makes his free throw, 100-94.

4:32 - Dinwiddie to Dončić for the floating jump shot and forces Lee to foul, 99-94 Dallas.

It's clutch time in Phoenix.

Mavericks call a full timeout.

4:49 - Booker forces his way to the rim for a pullup jumpshot, 97-94 Dallas.

Bullock enters the game for Hardaway Jr.

5:06 - Dončić turns over the ball on an offensive foul.

5:20 - Booker to Ayton for the layup, 97-92 Dallas.

5:34 - Hardaway Jr. steps out of bounds .

5:50 - Lee to Payne for the 3-point jumper, 97-90 Dallas.

6:06 - Dončić to Hardaway Jr. for the pullup jumpshot, 97-87 Dallas.

6:14 - Booker to Ayton for the hook shot, 95-87 Dallas.

Booker makes both free throws, 95-85 Dallas.

Payne enters the game for Paul.

Dončić enters the game for Green.

Kleber enters the game for Wood.

6:41 - Wood shooting foul called against Booker.

6:54 - Dinwiddie responded with a driving layup, 95-83 Dallas.

7:18 - Booker to Lee for the three point jumper, 93-83 Dallas. 

7:38 - Green with a steal of Paul, Hardaway Jr 3-pointer misses.

8:17 - Booker makes a step back jumpshot, 93-80 Dallas

Booker is back in for Okogie

Wood has scored all 12 points this quarter for Dallas.

8:30 - Suns call a full timeout.

8:31 - Hardaway Jr to Wood for a 3-point shot, 93-78 Dallas.

8:47 - Lee misses the long pull up jumpshot, Dinwiddie rebounds.

9:11 - Wood makes a mid-range 2-point shot, 90-78 Dallas.

9:35 - Finney-Smith personal foul called.

Hardaway Jr enters the game for Kleber.

Okogie enters the game for Johnson.

10:05 - Lee to Johnson for the 2-point shot, 88-78 Dallas.

10:31 - Dinwiddie to Wood for a 3-pointer, 88-76 Dallas.

11:09 - Wood with a long 3-point shot, 85-76 Dallas.

Wood makes one of two free throws, 82-76 Dallas.

11:35 - Ayton's shooting foul is called against Wood. It is Ayton's fourth of the game.

11:47 - heat out the gate with a Johnson three but no good. Bridges offensive foul and turn over

12:00

Bridges enters the game for Craig

Johnson enters the game for Booker

Paul enters the game for Payne

Dinwiddie enters the game for Dončić

Fourth Quarter

Phoenix outscored the Mavericks 31-19 in the quarter. 

0.4 - Suns offensive team rebound

22.1 - Wood makes a 2-point shot, 81-76 Dallas

1:04 - Dončić to Wood for the 2-point shot, 79-76

1:25 - Payne makes a pull up jumpshot, 77-76 Dallas

Ayton makes both free throws, 77-74 Dallas

Lee enters for Bridges

2:22 - Finney-Smith personal foul against Ayton

2:40 - Green steps out of bounds for the turnover.

Ayton enters the game for Landale.

Suns call a full timeout.

Landale makes both free throws, 77-72 Dallas.

Green enters the game for Bullock.

Finney-Smith enters for Hardaway Jr.

3:00 - Kleber loose ball foul against Landale.

Wood misses both free throws.

3:01 - Payne personal foul against Wood.

3:15 - Booker makes a running pull up jumpshot, 77-70 Dallas.

Landale enters the game for Paul.

Craig enters the game for Ayton.

Payne enters the game for Johnson.

3:35 - Booker offensive foul and turnover.

3:43 - Dončić to Bullock for the 3-point jumper, 77-68 Dallas.

3:54 - Booker makes pull-up jumpshot, 74-68 Dallas.

Ayton misses his free throw, 74-66 Dallas

4:53 - Paul to Ayton for the alley oop layup and Bullock personal foul.

Dončić makes both free throws, 74-64 Dallas

5:04 - Johnson personal foul against Dončić

5:16 - Wood blocks an attempted Bridges dunk.

5:32 - Paul shooting foul against Hardaway Jr.

Wood enters for Finney-Smith.

Hardaway makes both free throws, 72-64 Dallas.

5:39 - Paul to Ayton for the jump bank shot, 70-64 Dallas.

6:07 - Bridges personal foul called.

Bridges makes the free throw, 70-62 Dallas.

Kleber shooting foul called against Bridges.

6:18 - Rebounded by Bridges and makes the 2-point shot, 70-61 Dallas.

6:20 - Johnson missed the jumpshot.

6:26 - Paul with a steal against Bullock.

6:48 - Mavericks call a full timeout.

6:49 - Paul to Johnson for the 3-point shot, 70-59 Dallas.

6:54 - Paul with a steal against Dončić.

Paul makes both free throws, 70-56 Dallas.

7:07 - Finney-Smith fouls against Paul.

7:16 - Kleber to Bullock for the 3-point shot, 70-54 Dallas.

Paul makes both three throws, 67-54 Dallas.

Kleber enters for McGee.

7:37 - McGee shooting foul against Paul.

8:17 - Paul to Ayton for the easy layup, 67-52 Dallas.

8:58 - Booker's 2-point attempt is good.

9:18 - Paul to Johnson for the 3-point jumper, 67-48 Dallas.

9:26 - Bullock personal foul called.

9:31 - Dončić personal foul called.

9:58 - Johnson's long three point attempt is no good.

10:09 - Dončić makes a jumper, 67-45 Dallas.

10:22 - Personal foul called against Paul.

10:59 - Dončić makes a step back jumpshot, 65-45 Dallas.

11:07 - Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Dinwiddie.

11:20 - Bullock steals from Paul.

12:00

Ayton enters the game for Biyombo.

McGee enters the game for Wood.

Third Quarter

The Suns look slow and the defense will greatly need to improve going into the second half. While not necessarily needing to completely shut down Dončić they need to find ways to negate him if they want to successfully climb up this hill. 

Halftime

1.7 - Paul to Bridges for another 2-pointer, 62-54.

6.5 - Johnson blocks Finney-Smith's dunk.

27.7 - Booker to Bridges for 2-points, 62-43 Dallas.

Dončić makes all three free throws, 62-41 Dallas.

47.7 - Biyombo fouls Dončić beyond the arc.

Booker makes his second free throw, 59-41 Dallas.

Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Dinwiddie.

Booker makes his first free throw, 59-40 Dallas.

1:05 - Dinwiddie shooting foul called against Booker.

1:18 - Bullock to Dinwiddie for the 3-point shot, 59-39 Dallas.

1:30 - Biyombo misses mid range shot, Wood rebounds.

Biyombo enters the game for Landale.

2:00 - Landale offensive foul.

2:10 - Dinwiddie to Wood for the dunk, 56-39 Dallas.

Landale makes one of two free throws, 54-39 Dallas.

2:32 - Dinwiddie personal foul on Landale.

2:40 - Johnson blocks Wood's layup.

2:40 - Suns call a full timeout called.

Monty Williams first challenge of the season is overturned and Phoenix keeps their timeout.

2:55 - Booker to Johnson for the 3-point shot, 54-38 Dallas.

Booker makes the free throw, 54-35 Dallas

3:03 - Finney-Smith is called for a technical foul.

Dončić makes both free throws, 54-34 Dallas.

3:17 - Landale shooting foul against Dončić.

Bridges makes his free throw, 52-34 Dallas.

Landale enters the game for Biyombo.

Wood enters the game for McGee.

3:32 - Bridges makes the driving layup and a foul against Bullock

3:56 - Luka can miss going wide on a close shot, Biyombo with the defensive rebound.

4:17 - Booker with a well executed block of Bullock.

4:22 - Dončić with a steal from Biyombo.

Dončić makes both free throws, 52-31 Dallas

Dinwiddie enters for Green

4:34 - Bridges personal foul on Dončić

McGee misses both free throws

Johnson enters for Paul

5:17 - Biyombo shooting foul on McGee

5:37 - McGee to Finney-Smith dunk, 50-31 Dallas.

5:52 - Bookers misses the driving layup.

5:59 - Green loose ball foul called.

Bullock enters the game for Hardaway Jr.

Dončić enters the game for Dinwiddie.

6:09 - McGee traveling violation called against him.

6:25 - Paul to Booker for the 3-point jumper, 48-31 Dallas.

Green makes 1 of 2 free throws, 48-28 Dallas.

Payne enters the game for Lee.

McGee enters the game for Kleber. 

6:36 - Paul shooting foul called against Green

6:37 - Hardaway Jr. with a steal from Booker.

7:00 - Dinwiddie drives for the layup, 47-28 Dallas.

7:22 - Biyombo to Paul for the jump shot, 45-28 Dallas.

7:27 - Kleber blocks Lee's jumpshot.

Bridges enters the game for Saric.

7:41 - Hardaway Jr. to Green for three, 45-26 Dallas.

7:49 - Saric misses the layup, rebounded by Green

8:07 - Suns call a full timeout.

Booker enters the game for Johnson.

8:09 - Dinwiddie scores three, 42-26 Dallas.

8:16 - Paul step back jumpshot is no good, Kleber rebound for Dallas.

8:32 - Green to Dinwiddie for two, 39-26 Dallas.

Bismack Biyombo enters the game for Ayton.

Finney-Smith enters the game for Wood.

8:58 - Ayton called for an offensive foul.

Ayton enters the game for Landale.

Dario Saric enters the game for Okogie.

9:08 - Landale called for a loose ball foul.

9:33 - Paul to Johnson for the layup, - 37-26 Dallas.

9:45 - Dinwiddie with a step back jumpshot, 37-24 Dallas.

9:59 - Okogie personal foul called.

10:17 - Green personal foul called.

10:34 - Wood to Kleber for the layup, 34-24 Dallas.

Wood misses both free throw attempts.

10:57 - Johnson shooting foul against Wood.

Cam Johnson enters the game for Craig

Josh Okogie enters the game for Booker

Damion Lee enters the game for Payne

Dinwiddie enters the game for Dončić

Second Quarter 

Quarter Ends - 32-24 Dallas

4.3 - Payne's three point attempt is no good.

15.8 - Wood scores two, 32-24.

31.9 - Landale takes a three point shot with no luck .

47.5 - Dončić with a shot at the rim, 30-24 Dallas.

1:01 - Booker responds with a driving layup, 28-24 Dallas.

1:10 - Dončić with a far step back jumpshot, 28-22 Dallas.

1:20 - Landale called for a kick ball violation.

1:28 - Landale with the rebound and dunk, 25-22 Dallas.

1:38 - Payne steals from Hardaway Jr.

2:02 - Booker scores two, 25-19 Dallas.

2:12 - Tim Hardaway Jr. scores 2, 25-17 Dallas.

Josh Green enters the game for Bullock.

The Suns call a full timeout.

2:34 - Dončić for two, 23-17.

3:10 - Dončić to Wood for 3, 21-17.

3:18 - Craig dunks, 18-17 Dallas.

3:39 - Craig shooting foul against Wood.

Woods makes both free throws, 18-15 Dallas.

3:52 - Booker to Landale for the layup, 16-15 Dallas.

4:05 - Christian Wood to Bullock for 3-pointer, 16-13 Dallas.

4:14 - Landale called for a personal foul.

Maxi Kleber comes in for Finney-Smith.

4:30 - Payne called for traveling.

Bullock makes technical free throw and misses both free throws.

Torrey Craig comes in to the game for Chris Paul.

Jock Landale comes in to the game for Deandre Ayton.

Cameron Payne comes in to the game for Cameron Johnson.

4:50 - Ayton called for a shooting foul and technical foul against Reggie Bullock.

5:09 - Ayton to Bridges for a dunk shot, 13-12 Phoenix. 

5:19 - Dončić personal foul called.

5:45 - Booker makes a mid-range shot, 12-11 Dallas.

6:09 - Dončić to Dorian Finney-Smith for a 3-point shot, 12-9 Dallas.

6:27 - Ayton tip shot, 9-9 all.

6:43 - Suns call a full timeout.

6:56 - Dončić to McGee layup, 9-7 Dallas.

7:14 - Paul to Booker jump shot, 7-7 all.

8:09 - Bridges to Ayton Slam Dunk, 7-5 Dallas.

8:27 - Dončić scores in the paint, 7-3 Dallas.

9:04 - Bridges fouled by Dinwiddie, makes 1 of 2 free throws, 5-3 Dallas.

9:12 - JaVale McGee fouled by Deandre Ayton, makes 1 of 2, 5-2 Dallas.

9:47 - Luka Dončić with a mid-range shot, 4-2 Dallas.

10:00 - Devin Booker fouls Spencer Dinwiddie, 2-2 all.

11:10 - Mikal Bridges with the first points of the Suns Season, 2-0 Phoenix.

15:00 - Suns win the tip.

First Quarter

Pre-Game

Suns Game is switched to ESPN News while the Knicks & Grizzlies go into Overtime

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.#WeAreTheValley pic.twitter.com/4dbmk3teoe

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 20, 2022

Everybody believes the Suns are out for revenge, but don't take their word for it. This is just another basketball game. 

“Everybody will make it something more than it is,” said Devin Booker. 

“Obviously, [it would] be nice to win, but it’s one out of 82. It just happens to be the team that we got put out by. People gonna be coming in saying 'revenge game' but whether we win by 30, lose by 30, we still have 81 more games to go." 

His teammates have kept the same mantra, but the reality is plenty of Suns fans are hoping to start off on the right foot while exercising some demons in the process. 

The Mavericks and Suns retain plenty of their own core from last season despite some changes to the lineup, but this still should be one of the best games of the opening slate for the league. 

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