Suns at Mavericks
THE STORY: A game between the Suns and Mavericks has been one of the league's marquee matchups for years, but that isn't the case this time. Both teams take losing records into Wednesday's contest at Dallas. The Mavericks are coming off their best game of the season when they handed Oklahoma City its first loss in a 100-87 win on Monday. Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points to lead five players in double figures. "This team is set up to get better month-by-month," he said. "We should have a good team in March and April." Phoenix defeated Golden State, 102-91 on Monday behind 21 points and nine assists from Steve Nash. "It’s going to be tough," he said. "I haven’t played basketball in a long, long time and then to have only two weeks of camp. It’s going to take some time."
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Phoenix), FS Southwest (Dallas).
ABOUT THE SUNS (2-3): Rookie forward Markieff Morris has given Phoenix a boost and is in line for more playing time. That's a good sign for a team that is aging at several positions. He scored 16 points against Golden State, his second straight game in double figures. Morris, taken with the 13th pick in the first round of the draft, is averaging 9.4 points and 5.4 rebounds.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (2-4): Coach Rick Carlisle thinks the defending world champions are closer to turning it around than people think. At least for one game, he was right. Dallas outplayed Oklahoma City from the opening tip and pulled away in the second half. Shawn Marion scored 17 points while Jason Terry added 15. Jason Kidd was scoreless but had a season-high nine assists.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Dallas has beaten Phoenix five straight times and has won eight of the last nine meetings. The Suns' last win in the series came on Jan. 28, 2010.
2. Nowitzki made his 8,000th career basket Monday and is 31st on the NBA's all-time list.
3. Guard Michael Redd has been inactive since being signed by Phoenix on Dec. 29.