MAVERICKS (3-3) AT PHOENIX SUNS (3-3)
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Footprint Center, Phoenix
TV: TNT
Radio: The Eagle, 97.1 FM; Univision 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: Luka Doncic finished with 33 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and four steals and the Mavs staved off elimination at home Thursday by winning Game 6 and squaring this best-of-seven series at 3-3 in blowout fashion, 113-86. . .Also in Game 6, Reggie Bullock poured in 19 points and grabbed seven boards. Bullock, in addition, was instrumental on the defensive end of the floor as for the first time in this series he started the game primarily guarding Devin Booker. Bullock held the Suns’ high-scoring guard to just 19 points on 6-17 shots, and Booker also committed eight turnovers. . .The Mavs’ defense has been so effective that they’ve managed to turn Chris Paul into just another basketball player. In the four games in this series since he turned 37 on May 6, Paul has more turnovers (18) than made field goals (14). That’s his worst four-game playoff stretch ever. And when the Mavs get Paul involved in a high pick-and-roll where he has to guard Doncic, he is clearly over-matched. Paul also is working overtime simply bringing the ball up the floor, because the Mavs always have someone riding his coattail. . .The Mavs limited the Suns to just 39.7 percent shooting in Game 6, which is their lowest percentage in this year’s playoffs and the first time they’ve shot under 40 percent from the floor in the 2022 postseason. The Mavs also turned 22 Phoenix turnovers into 29 points in Game 6. That’s the highest number of turnovers the Suns have committed in this year’s playoffs. . .Doncic is averaging 39 ppg in postseason elimination games, which is 
the highest in NBA history during postseason elimination games.
About the Suns: The Suns are banking on their home court being the decisive advantage today. During the regular season the Suns compiled the NBA’s best home record at 32-9. The Suns won Games 1, 2 and 5 in this series, and all three of those games were on their home court. . .Guard Devin Booker is averaging 27 ppg in this series in the three games played in Phoenix. . .Center Deandre Ayton averaged 18 ppg and 6.7 rpg in the three games in Phoenix in this series, and also was 24-of-39 from the field for 61.5 percent. Ayton contributed a team-high 21 points on 10-of-16 shots, and added 11 rebounds in Game 6. . .Jae Crowder has made 9-of-19 field goals — including 7-of-15 three-pointers — in the three games played in Phoenix in this series….In the three games in Phoenix in this series, Cameron Johnson has come off the bench to average 13.3 ppg and convert 14 of his 24 field goal attempts. . .After the 27-point loss in Game 6, Suns coach Monty Williams said: “I don’t have enough time to talk about everything that is eating at me. I didn’t think we understood the desperation they were going to play with, and you couple that with the turnovers that we had (Thursday), and it’s a recipe for what we just got. Again, in a desperate situation, they came out right out the gate with force and grit and sped us up and we were about as unorganized on offense (Thursday) as we have ever been. That was one of the reasons why we threw it around the gym (Thursday). We just did not have the force and determination that it takes to win a game like this on the road, but we will have it the next time we step on the floor.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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