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NBA: Mavs drill 20 three-pointers in series-tying win over Suns

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets on January 4, 2021 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. File photo. Cato Cataldo, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/05/09/luka.jpg"/><figcaption>Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots the ball against the Houston Rockets on January 4, 2021 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. File photo. <em>Cato Cataldo, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>LOS ANGELES -- The Dallas Mavericks rained 20 three-pointers and again neutralized Phoenix point guard Chris Paul to beat the top-seeded Suns 111-101 on Sunday and knot their NBA playoff series at two games each.</p><p>Star guard Luka Doncic scored 26 points and Dorian Finney-Smith added 24 for Dallas, who have won two games at home to level the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup after dropping the first two games in Phoenix.</p><p>The Suns, who finished the regular season with the best record in the league, will try to regain the advantage when they host game five on Tuesday. It&#x27;s guaranteed to shift back to Dallas for game six on Thursday.</p><p>Sunday&#x27;s later Eastern Conference second-round matchup finds top seed Miami at Philadelphia, with the visitors leading the series 2-1.</p><div><strong>HIGHLIGHTS: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vSqd5jvGUgA?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>In Dallas, the Mavericks held off the Suns despite a poor shooting effort from Doncic, who connected on just nine of 25 shots and just one of 10 from three-point range.</p><p>Overall, the Mavs were on fire from beyond the arc, their eight three-pointers in the first quarter helping them build a 37-25 lead.</p><p>Their 14 three-pointers in the first half tied a franchise playoff record for three-pointers in a half.</p><p>They led 68-56 at the break and even more ominously for Phoenix, veteran point guard Paul committed his fourth foul trying to make a tip-in with 1.1 seconds left before half-time.</p><p>Paul picked up his fifth foul early in the third quarter and headed to the bench. He returned with 10:28 left in the fourth and promptly fouled out thanks to a hand to the arm of Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson.</p><p>Devin Booker led the Suns with 35 points. Jae Crowder added 15 and Deandre Ayton scored 14.</p><p>But the Mavericks bench out-scored the Phoenix reserves 36-26.</p><p>&quot;This team was amazing,&quot; said Doncic, who was outstanding but received little support in the two opening defeats. &quot;Everybody that gets to the court leaves everything out there. If we play hard and we get stops, we&#x27;re a dangerous team.&quot;</p><p>While Doncic struggled with his shots, he added 11 assists along with four rebounds. He also forced four steals as the Suns turned it over 17 times.</p><p>While Phoenix managed to cut the deficit to four points with less than two minutes to play in the third quarter, the Mavericks repelled every challenge.</p><p>&quot;The Phoenix Suns, we knew they were going to make a run,&quot; Doncic said. &quot;We stayed together, man. They&#x27;re a hell of a team, but I think with us staying together, playing physical, it was the key to this game.&quot;</p><p>Doncic said there&#x27;s no reason the Mavericks can&#x27;t win a game in Phoenix.</p><p>&quot;I think we didn&#x27;t play hard enough in the first two games,&quot; he said. &quot;Somebody has got to win four, and we can always believe until the end.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

The Dallas Mavericks rained 20 three-pointers and again neutralized Phoenix point guard Chris Paul to beat the top-seeded Suns 111-101 on Sunday.