Doncic and Mavericks beat Suns 113-86 to force Game 7

Luka Doncic gets his first win in an elimination match.

Now the young Dallas superstar gets another one, and another Game 7 to boot.

Doncic scored 33 points and the Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 113-86 on Thursday to force a decider in the Western Conference semifinals.

The home team has won all six games, none by a margin closer to seven points. A trip to the West finals will be on the line Sunday in Phoenix.

The Mavericks won when they faced elimination for the first time in three attempts under Doncic, 23, their three-time All-Star point guard.

Both losses have come against the Clippers in the past two seasons, including Game 7 in Los Angeles last year after the visitors won the first six games, the first in the playoffs. Dallas is playing beyond the first round for the first time since winning the title 11 years ago, when first-year coach Jason Kidd was point guard.

“I don’t know if he was playing like he was trying to do something different,” Kidd said. “I think he enjoys the moment. You have seen a little longer than I have up close. He is not afraid of the stage. I think you guys call it the first time you win an elimination game. He will be in this situation for a long, long time.”

The Suns, seeking a second straight trip to the conference finals, are going the distance in a series for the first time in two postseasons with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. The previous three were six, including Phoenix’s loss to Milwaukee last year in the NBA Finals.

Booker scored 19 points but was shut out from 3-point range (0-for-4) while going 6-for-17. Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Paul added 13 points.

The top-seeded Suns held a season low in scoring, regular season or playoffs, for the second time in the series. They shot a playoff-low 40% with 22 turnovers, the most all season.

“I don’t have enough time to talk about everything that’s eating me up,” coach Monty Williams said. “I didn’t think we understood the desperation they were going to play with. Combine that with the turnovers we had tonight, it’s a recipe for what we just got.”

Paul, 37, is now in line for his eighth Game 7, while Booker, 27, is about to play his first.

“The two best words in sports,” Booker said. “I’m excited to feel the energy. I’m excited to be a part of this. It’s a great opportunity.”

Reggie Bullock scored 19 points for Dallas, going 5-for-11 from 3-point range after not scoring and taking just five total shots in Game 5. Jalen Brunson added 18, and Spencer Dinwiddie had a series-high 15. , all in triples (5 of 7).

Doncic played through an apparent left leg injury that sent him to the locker room when he would have been out of the game in the second quarter anyway. He returned to the bench and rode a stationary bike before re-entering the game.

Soon after, the Mavericks went on a decisive 19-5 run to end the first half, turning a two-point lead into a 60-45 halftime lead.

It was a home team repeat of the third quarter of Game 5, when Phoenix went on a 17-0 run for an 18-point lead and ended up winning by 30.

Doncic, who had 11 rebounds and eight assists, fought his shot while battling injury early on, but hit a 3-pointer on the run late in the first half and scored 10 in the third to help the Mavericks increase their lead to 22 (94-72). .

Paul avoided the foul trouble that cost the Suns in their second loss at Dallas. But he was never much of a factor, taking just seven shots.

Booker was held to eight points as Dallas pulled away in the second and third quarters, opening the second half by missing an ill-advised 3-pointer and not scoring again until the Suns trailed by 21 late in the third.

“I think we won this game on the defensive end,” Doncic said. “We have another game. That’s funny. It’s the playoffs and we’re going to give our energy”.

billing turnover

Booker’s eight turnovers were also a season high, including the regular season. Phoenix’s mistakes came after Dallas turned 12 turnovers in the third quarter of Game 5 and was outscored 33-14. Paul wasn’t as bad as the seven turnovers in the first half of Game 3, the most he’s ever had in a half in a playoff game. But he had five more in Game 6.

tips

Suns: Ayton received a technical for elbowing Doncic in the face when Doncic fouled him on a dunk in the third quarter. Doncic missed the technical free throw and Ayton finished off the three-point play. … Bismack Biyombo didn’t have the same impact as replacing JaVale McGee, who didn’t play for the first time in the series. Biyombo had four points and three rebounds in 14 minutes.

Mavericks: This was the 10th straight time this season that the Mavericks responded to a loss of at least 20 points with a win. The streak is actually 13 games since last season, including a playoff win at the Clippers after a 25-point loss at home. … Dallas recovered from a slow start of 3 to finish 16 of 39 (41 percent). It was another strong night despite continued struggles from Doncic, who shot 2-for-8 to put him 7-for-33 over the last four games.