Suns at Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks aim to post their seventh victory in nine games when they host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. The Mavericks are looking to claim their 30th win in game No. 47 of the season after averaging just 30 over the past three seasons.
Star point guard Luka Doncic recorded 29 points and 11 rebounds during Monday's 107-97 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder and he has scored 25 or more points in six straight games - 12 of the past 14. "Luka played a great game," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters of a player greatly affected by the tragic death of basketball icon Kobe Bryant. "This whole last day-and-a-half has been very tough on him. Early in the game you could tell it was still on his mind. He kept with it and as the game went on, he got better, better and better." The Suns have dropped three of their last four games after suffering a 114-109 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. Phoenix is 1-1 during a stretch in which it is playing six of seven games on the road.
TIME: 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: FS Arizona, FS Southwest, NBA TV Canada
ABOUT THE SUNS (19-27): Star shooting guard Devin Booker needs 21 points to become the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to score 7,000 career points - at 23 years, 90 days if he reaches the mark Tuesday - behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. Booker has been superb in January with a 31.6 scoring average and he has recorded at least 35 points in five of the last seven games, including 36 versus the Grizzlies. Second-year center Deandre Ayton registered 17 points and 15 rebounds versus Memphis and has six double-doubles in the past seven games.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (29-17): Doncic is an MVP candidate in his second NBA season and he reflected after Monday's game about meeting Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, after a game in Los Angeles last month. Kobe, 41, and Gianna were among nine people tragically killed in a helicopter crash in the Los Angeles area on Sunday and the 20-year-old Doncic wrote the names of all nine victims on his shoes. "Right now it is everything to me," Doncic told reporters of the meeting with Bryant. "His daughter was there too, Gigi. I'm really thankful to have met them both. I think he was having a really good life, he enjoyed his life and going to games. And Gigi was going to be something special."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Mavericks have won the past three meetings, including a 120-113 road win on Nov. 29.
2. Reserve PG Delon Wright recorded 14 points and a season-best 12 rebounds against Oklahoma City for his first double-double of the season.
3. Phoenix SF Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 27 points against the Grizzlies and has five 20-point outings this month.