'Punch Them in The Mouth': Feisty Mavs Will Bring Energy vs. Suns in Game 7
The Dallas Mavericks did what they were supposed to do on Thursday night, as they protected home court in Game 6 and forced a winner-take-all Game 7 against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. The winner will go on to the Western Conference Finals to take on either the Golden State Warriors or the Memphis Grizzlies.
After being mocked and punked in Game 5, the Mavs came out with a vengeful energy in Game 6, giving it to the Suns early and often en route to a dominant 113-86 win. With the home team winning every game so far this series, how can the Mavs buck that trend in a Game 7 on the road?
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"(We've gotta) bring the same energy from the jump. Be ready to punch them in the mouth early. Just keep that going throughout the game," said Reggie Bullock, who went from scoring no points in Game 5 to 19 points on 5-11 shooting from downtown in Game 6. Bullock also played outstanding defense on Chris Paul and Devin Booker in the win, along with Dorian Finney-Smith.
“They are a great team, and it is a hostile environment up there. But at the same time, we are just going to come with a lot of energy and just keep playing the way we have been playing all year.”
The Mavs have relished being underdogs against the Suns, and that will continue on Sunday, as not many people will expect Dallas to pull off the Game 7 upset on the road.
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Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
“We got some dogs over here. This team has been grinding it out all season,” said Bullock. “I am pretty sure no one has us winning Game 7. We keep our head down. We keep working and we believe in our abilities that we put on both ends of the floor. We believe in the coaching staff. The fans give us a lot of energy at home. We just came out and poured it out tonight.”
No matter what happens in Phoenix, this has already been a successful season for Dallas, as it has surpassed preseason expectations and proven capable of going toe-to-toe with the best team in a seven-game series.
But having a successful season end in a loss is never preferred. The Mavs aren’t here for moral victories. They will need to be greedy and enter Game 7 with the same angry mentality they did in Game 6 in order to pull off the upset.
Having the best player in the series gives the Mavs a real chance of winning every time they step on the floor, and that’s really all they can ask for. We’ll see if Dallas has learned anything from their road Game 7 experience against the Los Angeles Clippers last season.
