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The Dallas Mavericks will travel to the desert on Monday to take on the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinals series, a matchup featuring two of the better defensive teams in the league.

After starting the year 16-18, the Mavericks have gone 40-14, including the playoffs, since the start of 2022. 

Defensively, Dallas ranked second in points allowed per game (104.7) during the regular season and on offense, Luka Doncic has been as good as they come.

On the year, Doncic averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.7 assists and shot 45.7% from the floor. The 22-year-old is the epitome of a “do-it-all” guy in this league and he has elevated the Mavericks to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first-time since 2011, when Dallas went on to win their only championship in franchise history.

As for their opponents in the Phoenix Suns, they too are one of the best defensive teams in the league and they are also one of the best offensive teams in the league.

Finishing the regular season 64-18, the Suns set a franchise record for wins in a season and are on a quest to make it back to the NBA Finals, where they lost 4-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks last year after winning the first two games of the series.

Devin Booker and Chris Paul have continued to prove that they are the best backcourt duo in the league and finally having some more depth on their bench, the Suns are truly the best team in the NBA right now, despite having to play six games against the 8-seeded New Orleans Pelicans in the first-round of the playoffs.

Can Luka Doncic and the Mavericks pull off a massive Game 1 upset on Monday night in Phoenix?

Here's how to watch Monday’s game, with gametimes and TV, lineups, bios and other must-know details.

How to watch Mavericks vs. Suns

  • WHO: Dallas Mavericks (0-0) vs. Phoenix Suns (0-0)
  • WHAT: NBA Playoffs, Western Conference Semifinals - Game 1
  • WHEN: 10:00 p.m. ET, Monday, May 2
  • WHERE: Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
  • TV: TNT
  • Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE

Key Stats & Facts For Mavericks vs. Suns

  • The Mavericks and Suns faced off three times during the regular season with the Suns winning all three matchups, two of which were on their home court.
  • The Suns finished the regular season ranking fourth in offensive rating and fifth in defensive rating, while the Mavericks finished the regular season ranking fifteenth in offensive rating and second in defensive rating.
  • Phoenix is 34-10 at home this season and Dallas is 25-19 on the road, including the postseason.
  • Luka Doncic has scored at least 30 points in eight of the last eleven games he has played in, dating back to the regular season, and he had 28 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in one game against Phoenix this season.
  • Jalen Brunson is coming off a playoff series versus Utah in which he averaged 27.8 points per game. Entering the Western Conference Semifinals, Brunson leads all players this postseason in total points with 167 points.

Last Matchup:

January 20, 2022 - Suns 109, Mavericks 101

In their final meeting of the regular season, Phoenix defeated Dallas 109-101 thanks to Devin Booker’s 28 points. Chris Paul also stepped up for the Suns in their win, scoring 20 points and dishing out 11 assists. For the Mavericks, Luka Doncic finished the game with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, as Dallas shot just 29.7% from three-point range as a team.

Mavericks-Suns Most Recent Playoff Series:

  • Mavericks last playoff series: The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Utah Jazz 4-2 in the first-round of the playoffs, outscoring Utah by an average of 10.3 points in their four wins. Jalen Brunson emerged as the team’s No. 2 option next to Luka Doncic in this series, averaging 27.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and shooting 48.4% from the floor in six games against the Jazz. Entering the Western Conference Semifinals, Brunson leads all players in the postseason with 167 total points.
  • Suns last playoff series: The Phoenix Suns got past the New Orleans Pelicans 4-2 in the first-round of the playoffs, a series that turned out to be quite interesting due to Devin Booker dealing with a hamstring injury. Deandre Ayton continued his stellar play in the playoffs against the Pelicans, averaging 20.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in this series.

Latest Injury News:

Mavericks: Tim Hardaway Jr. (foot) - OUT

Suns: Dario Saric (knee) - OUT

Projected Starters:

PROJECTED MAVERICKS STARTERS:

  • G Luka Doncic, 6-7 guard: 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.7 assists
  • G Jalen Brunson, 6-6 guard: 17.0 points, 4.3 assists
  • F Reggie Bullock, 6-6 forward: 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds
  • F Dorian Finney-Smith, 6-7 forward: 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds
  • C Dwight Powell, 6-10 center: 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds

PROJECTED SUNS STARTERS:

  • G Chris Paul, 6-0 guard: 14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 10.8 assists
  • G Devin Booker, 6-5 guard: 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists
  • F Mikal Bridges, 6-6 forward: 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds
  • F Jae Crowder, 6-6 forward: 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds
  • C Deandre Ayton, 6-11 center: 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds

Betting Odds:

  • The Suns are currently 5.5-point favorites over the Mavericks as of Monday morning, according to FanDuel.com.
  • The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 214.5 total points.

What to watch for:

  • The Phoenix Suns have made the playoffs for just the second-time in the last twelve seasons, looking to make the NBA Finals in back-to-back years.
  • The Dallas Mavericks have won their first playoff series since they won the NBA Finals back in 2011.
  • The Suns had six different players average at least 10.0 points per game during the regular season.
  • Phoenix is 53-7 this season when they score at least 110 points. Dallas is 33-4 this season when they score at least 110 points.
  • The Mavericks and Suns have played a total of 12 playoff games and two playoff series all-time. The two teams are 6-6 against one another in the playoffs and have split their two playoff series in 2005 (Suns in 6) and 2006 (Mavericks in 6). 
  • Complete 2022 NBA Playoffs Schedule, Results, Gametimes, TV, Point Spreads: The best two months in basketball are here as the NBA postseason has arrived, starting with the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday. Here is the complete schedule, with gametimes, TV information and point spreads. We will update this story daily with results and updated betting lines, so bookmark it and follow along for the next two months of a wide-open postseason. CLICK HERE.
  • How to Watch 76ers at Heat Game 1 on Monday: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat will play Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals playoff series on Monday. CLICK HERE.