Mavericks at Suns
The Dallas Mavericks are coming off a shaky performance and look to get back on track when they host the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. Dallas committed 17 turnovers and got off to a slow start in which it scored just 37 first-half points during Friday’s loss to Memphis. “We were poor in all areas,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. “I really don’t have anything positive to say and it’s a situation where we all own it. It’s just really a very, very bad performance.”
Dallas is in a virtual tie for sixth place with the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference with the fifth-place Los Angeles Clippers looming a game ahead. The Suns are trying to get into the postseason and sit 2 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Oklahoma City Thunder with 12 games remaining. Phoenix recorded an impressive 117-102 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday with guard Eric Bledsoe leading the way with a career-high 34 points.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (44-26): The players understood Carlisle’s ire over the shabby showing as sewing up a playoff spot is the first priority. Forward Amar’e Stoudemire thought the offense struggled against the Grizzlies and forward Dirk Nowitzki felt there were breakdowns in all areas, which jibes with how Carlisle feels. “It’s ugly,” Carlisle told reporters. “There’s no two ways about it, but we’ve got to take responsibility for it and prepare for the next one. And with a dozen left, they’re going to go by quickly.”
ABOUT THE SUNS (37-33): Bledsoe is thriving at the point with Brandon Knight (ankle) sidelined and he had eight rebounds and three steals in addition to going 11-of-18 from the field. He has scored over 20 points in three of the past four games and he fell one rebound short of a triple double in Sunday’s win over the New York Knicks. Second-year guard Archie Goodwin has been receiving more minutes with Knight out and has scored in double digits in back-to-back games, including 11 points in 22 minutes against the Rockets.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Phoenix has won both meetings this season after Dallas emerged victorious in 16 of the previous 20.
2. Mavericks C Tyson Chandler is averaging 18.5 points and 16 rebounds against Phoenix this season.
3. Suns C Alex Len was just 2-of-10 shooting in his return from an ankle injury that sidelined him two games.