Who: Phoenix Suns (31-22) vs. Dallas Mavericks (19-33)
When: 7:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
The Phoenix Suns have hit another minor rough patch this season. The Suns have lost three of their last four games and have played well below their standard. The Dallas Mavericks are not any better. They have lost seven games in a row. Despite losing their last seven games, Cooper Flagg has continued to show why he is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. He has scored 32, 36, 34, and 49 points in four of his last five games. Can Dillon Brooks and company slow Flagg down?
Outside of Flagg, there is not a ton to be happy about in Dallas right now. Mavericks fans are still suffering the ramifications of the Luka Doncic trade made just over a year ago. With Anthony Davis now traded, the Mavericks turned Doncic into Khris Middleton, Max Christie, Marvin Bagley III, and picks. Currently on the Mavericks side of X, fans are clinging to the hope that Mark Cuban will buy back the team. So while watching this game, be grateful that this Phoenix rebuild is going much better than one of our Western Conference rivals right now.
Let me start with the obvious first: health.
Jalen Green and Devin Booker are both off the injury report and playing again, which means the Suns are now acclimating to life with an almost fully healthy roster. At this point, just getting Booker and Green through games healthy is a win for the Suns at this point. As Green gets more comfortable and up to speed, he will make mistakes and make incredible plays. His talent and ability will be a new wrinkle that Jordan Ott and the Suns have to continue to figure out.
The second thing to watch for is pace. The Mavericks play the fourth-fastest pace in the NBA and are second in the NBA in fastbreak points. This game will be up and down with a lot of possessions. Playing fast will help the Suns offensively and get them into a rhythm that will provide many opportunities for everyone in the rotation to showcase what they can do. With the Mavericks ’ fast-paced attack, one key area for the Suns stands out.
One of the keys to success for the Suns this season has been offensive rebounding. If the Suns dominate the offensive glass, it will slow down the Mavericks’ ability to score in transition. However, if the Suns send multiple guys to the offensive glass and do not get rebounds, they will be susceptible to giving up points in transition. The Suns are the fifth-best team in the NBA at allowing points in transition because they play with more effort and harder than other teams. This will have to be true Tuesday night to get back on track.
Rebounding. The Suns have been outrebounded in their previous four games. In the last three losses, the Suns have been outrebounded by 10 or more, including a -28 rebounding margin in a gross effort against the Clippers. The Suns have to rebound better if they want to continue to win at a high level this season and against the Mavericks.
The Suns get back on track and win.