Suns Look to Handle Struggling Mavericks
Although it's still early in the season, the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks have seen two different starts to their 2022-23 campaign.
Memories are still fresh of Dallas' Game 7 eruption over the Suns, which sent Phoenix home earlier than anticipated in embarrassing fashion.
Yet Phoenix has since put that game in the past, emerging to the West's best record at 16-7 even despite the absence of contributors such as Chris Paul and Cam Johnson.
Typical power forward Torrey Craig, who was filling in for Johnson, has missed the last two games forcing Dario Saric into action. In the blowout win over San Antonio, Saric saw a season-high 19 points.
Monty Williams spoke on starting a big presence in Saric next to center Deandre Ayton.
“It’s tougher because of the way the game is played today. To try to play two bigs can hurt you from a spacing standpoint, but when he’s knocking down his shot and he’s playing in point-five and flying off of his spot to run through the ball, he can score, he can find," Williams said.
"So, in my opinion, we have to get to a place when we get back to hold, figuring out the best way for him to fit because his talents are vast. Not many bigs can say they have all of the skills that Dario has. It’s just taken him a while to get his legs underneath him, and we’ve had other guts just playing a little bit better. But to see him out there playing instinctual basketball gives all of us a lot of confidence that he’s on his way. He’s not there yet, but he’s on his way to getting back to the Dario that we all know and love.”
The Mavericks traveled to Phoenix to begin the regular season with a 107-105 loss back in October. Damion Lee sank a turnaround jumper to put the dagger in Dallas.
Heading into Monday, the Mavericks have lost their previous five-of-seven games. In contrast, the Suns have lost just two games in that prior ten contests.
Luka Doncic currently tops the league in points per night with 33.4. He had 35 with nine rebounds and six assists in his last cameo at the Footprint Center.
On SI Sportsbook, the Suns are +3.5 point underdogs to Dallas. NBA teams were 13-17 on no rest in October (h/t StatMuse).
