Nba, Dallas Mavericks-Phoenix Suns 111-101

Dallas scares Phoenix. The Mavericks dominate Race 4 in Texas, winning it 111-101. Doncic exhibits gaudy numbers, but doesn’t even pull who knows how, this time. Yet enough and advances to the guys of Coach Kidd, amazing in his first season on the bench of the Coach Cuban franchise. Because it is an evening in which the triples always enter, even 20 per target, because Kleber makes Ayton look small, because the energy and body language of the Mavs, in confidence, are at the top. Because Paul comes out for 6 fouls with 9 ‘to play in the last quarter. The perfect storm. And now, after two successes in a row, which overturns the trend of 11 defeats in a row against direct matches, the Texans can believe in the enterprise against the first seed in the West, the team with the best record in the league.

SUNGLASSES

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That he must make an examination of conscience. Without Paul, more on the bench than on the pitch, it was Booker and very little else. The All Star guard has become the only reliable terminal, only like a hermit. It is legitimate, indeed a duty, to expect more from Ayton and Bridges, as well as from Coach Williams, who was brought to school by Kidd, as if they were still players. For Game 5, Tuesday night, it’s back to Arizona. On 2-2. Suns still favorites, God forbid, but now perhaps with a minimum of apprehension, who knows. They have never lost three games in a row this season.

THE CASE PAUL

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Play just 23 ‘, limited by fouls. The referees call his quarter at the last second of the first half while he rebounds with Doncic. For the first time in his career in the middle of the race he already has 4 fouls. The fifth of him then arrives with 9’32 ”to play in the third quarter. Coach Williams’ immediate challenge, inevitable: at least 3 fouls called to his director were questionable. Decision confirmed, surprisingly. Williams puts Paul too soon, and he commits the sixth foul, another venial sin, with 8’59 ”to play in the last quarter. He will talk about it a lot, in Arizona, from here to Race 5.

THE MATCH

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Doncic immediately gets a technical foul for protests, then Booker suffers the same fate. Two avoidable whistles, so to speak, from the referees. Crowder goes to the locker room early with a sore right ankle. He will know how to get back on the pitch, then. 37-25 Mavs after 12 ‘: the Texans shoot with 65% from the field and already have 8 triples on target. One benefited. Bertans scores 4 triples in a row, even +17 Dallas starting 12/18 from 3 points. Then 68-56 at the interval. Luka with 16 points, Booker 19. Dallas always ahead, then 87-78 after 36 ‘after the Suns also returned to -4. Two triples in a row by a commendable Finney Smith, 8 for him in the magical evening, are worth the definitive extension of the Mavericks, at 97-83. Then it becomes a catwalk, in front of his audience, with Cuban giving a high five to everyone, radiant as he has not been seen for a long time.

THE WORDS

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Doncic enthusiastic at the end of the match: “We played choral and physical, resisting the flare-ups of the Suns. We were always confident even after the 2 defeats. Even if we only had a 1% chance of passing the round, we would try. Let’s play. together and hard, we are dangerous “. Phoenix is ​​picking up on this.

Dallas: Doncic 26 (8/15, 1/10, 7/8 tl), Finney-Smith 24, Brunson 18. Rebounds: Finney-Smith 8. Assists: Doncic 11.

Phoenix: Booker 35 (7/16, 3/6, 12/13 tl), Crowder 15, Ayton 14. Rebounds: Ayton 11. Assists: Booker / Paul 7