Nba playoff – Doncic turns off the Suns, Dallas returns to the series: 1-2

The Mavericks are back in the series with a convincing success in race-3. A suffocating defense, both Brunson (28 points) and the usual leadership of Doncic, who flirts with a triple double (26 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists), Coach Kidd’s recipe to put Suns in difficulty and for the first once in this postseason they fail to shoot with 50% from the field.

The taboo

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After 11 consecutive defeats, between regular season and playoffs, Dallas finally manages to get the better of Phoenix, wins with personality 103-94 and finds his first success in a series that now becomes interesting. Chris Paul would have liked to celebrate his 37th birthday in a different way, instead the leader of the Suns runs into a lackluster performance and his team pays duty in front of Doncic and his teammates.

The match

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The Mavericks open immediately with a different aggression on the defensive level, putting Phoenix in difficulty. So much energy and Bullock’s constant pressure on CP3, that he runs into unusual turnover. In attack Luka goes to alternating current in the first minutes but Brunson’s penetrations allow the Texan team to take the reins of the match. Kleber’s production from the bench also arrives Dallas accelerates in the final part of the fraction and with Doncic’s triple reaches +9. Brunson continues to hurt Phoenix’s defense even in the second half, in attack the Suns rely on Ayton’s physicality and Crowder’s triple, but it lacks fluidity, so the home team reaches the break ahead 51-44. A subdued Paul in the first half puts seven turnover on the scoresheet.

The key

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Dallas tries to immediately raise the pace at the beginning of the second half, Doncic decides to attack the basket, Brunson imitates him and the Mavs run away with a run of 11-2. The triple of the usual Kleber gives the Texan team +17. McGee’s aggression in the first minutes of the final fraction helps, but Phoenix is ​​too hard to find rhythm in attack. Doncic’s fifth foul threatens to compromise everything for the Mavericks but Dallas does not lose his discipline and manages the important minutes with the Slovenian on the bench with great maturity. The Mavs keep the guests at a safe distance and Bullock’s triple at 55 ” from the siren, which brings the Texan team back to +11, becomes a sentence. “Our energy on the defensive level made the difference – underlines Luka Doncic at the end – I played very badly in the second half of game-2 and I wanted to redeem myself, now we just have to believe in our means”. Unhappy birthday for Chris Paul: “It was a long time since I had so many turnover – says the leader of the Suns – Dallas did what he had to do, now we have to respond in race-4”.

Dallas:Brunson 28 (9/16, 1/5, 7/7 tl), Doncic 26, Bullock 15. Rebounds: Doncic 13. Assists: Doncic 9.

Phoenix: Crowder 19 (2/4, 5/8), Booker 18, Ayton 16. Rebounds: Ayton 11. Assists: Booker 6.