3 Overreactions as Mavericks' Rally Falls Short Against Phoenix Suns

The Dallas Mavericks were back in action on Tuesday night on the road against the Phoenix Suns. Dallas was riding a seven-game losing streak, while the Suns have been a surprisingly good team in the Western Conference this year.

This game used to have a fun hint of a rivalry to it, but once Luka Doncic was traded, that changed. As quick as the rivalry was over, this game was over even quicker.

The Mavericks had just two points five minutes into the game. That's basically all you need to know, because the Mavericks never found any offense. By the end of the first quarter, they were down 36-16. A big reason they were down by so much is that Dillon Brooks had 15 points in the first quarter alone.

Dallas at least started to score a little bit in the second quarter, as Khris Middleton scored his first point as a Maverick. Cooper Flagg also had 10 points in the quarter. However, the defense wasn't much better until the end of the frame, and they still found themselves down by 17 at halftime. That is a lot better than the 31 points they found themselves down by in the quarter.

That's basically where the lead would be for the third quarter. The Suns would build it up to 22 or 23, the Mavericks would get it down to 18 or 19. Finally, the Mavericks started to actually make a dent in the fourth quarter, getting the difference as close as 13 after an and-one from Cooper Flagg with 9 minutes left in the game. There was legitimate life.

The lead continued to shrink. Cooper Flagg putback a missed free throw by Marvin Bagley, Bagley tipped in a different offensive rebound, and Naji Marshall drilled a corner three, and the lead was suddenly 9. Devin Booker tried to steady things with a jumper, but P.J. Washington nailed a three form the top of the key to cut it to 8.

A few minutes later, Naji Marshall cut the lead to 6 with a tough spinning floater in the paint. The game would never get closer than that, and the Suns would go on to win 120-111.

Here are three overreactions from the eighth-straight loss for the Mavericks.

1. Massive Free-Throw Disparity Didn't Even Get Close to Mattering

Feb 10, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd speaks to an official in the first half of the game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks shot 44 free throws in this game. The Suns shot just 9. And still, it wasn't enough for the Mavericks to get a win. That's borderline impressive. The ethical tank lives on.

2. Khris Middleton's Mavericks Debut Was...

Khris Middleton didn't play on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs, so this was the first time we saw him with the Mavs. I still think he could be a buyout candidate if he could land a role with a championship team, but he's going to be a valuable veteran for Dallas. He ended up with 13 points in his Mavericks debut and showcased things that will help this team, including a deep outlet pass to Cooper Flagg.

3. Naji Marshall is Just a Better Player Than P.J. Washington

Feb 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (13) celebrates making a three point shot against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

P.J. Washington was a vital piece to the 2024 NBA Finals run, but he isn't the same without an elite playmaker on offense. Naji Marshall can create his own shot, and that's helped him become a great player. Marshall has had a career year and ended up finishing with 31 points.

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