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The Phoenix Suns routed the Dallas Mavericks in the first two games of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series but things could be different as it shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Friday. The game is a pick’em on the NBA odds.

How to Bet Suns at Mavericks NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 9:30 PM ET
Where: American Airlines Center
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN app
Radio: Tunein.com
NBA Odds: Pick’em (total 220)

Why Bet on Phoenix?

The Suns took Game 2 at home vs. Dallas, 129-109 on Wednesday. Chris Paul was terrific again, hitting 11-of-16 shots and 5-of-5 free throws for 28 points, six rebounds and eight assists. CP3 scored nine of Phoenix’s first 14 points in the fourth quarter and hit nine straight second-half shots before finally missing one when the game was out of reach. Paul became the first player with 20 points on 90 percent shooting in multiple halves over the last 25 postseasons.

Devin Booker hit 11-of-19 shots and 5-fot-8 three-pointers for 30 points, four rebounds and four assists. Booker and Paul went on a tear in the fourth quarter, which the Suns dominated to the tune of 40-26. The Suns were down two going into the second half but started double- and triple-teaming Luka Doncic and completely dominated the second half of this game, as the Suns hit 11 of their first 13 field goals in the fourth quarter, while the Mavericks couldn’t generate any offense.

Jae Crowder had 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Starting center Deandre Ayton ran into foul trouble and played only 18 minutes in the contest, but Crowder picked up much of the frontcourt slack with his highest scoring performance since early March.

The Suns shot 64.5 percent from the field in their Game 2 win, the highest percentage in franchise postseason history. Phoenix shot 84.2 percent in the 4th quarter, the second-best 4th quarter field goal pct over the last 25 postseasons, trailing only the Spurs from Game 1 of the 2014 Finals (87.5 percent). Phoenix scored a blazing 40 points in the final frame, marking their highest quarter point total so far these playoffs.

Paul scored 14 of his 28 points in the final frame, marking the fourth time he’s scored double digits in the fourth quarter this postseason, which tops the league.

“Chris, the way he just continues to pick that spot when it’s time to take over, is really impressive,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said.

The Suns have shot 50 percent or better in all eight of their playoff games this postseason, setting a postseason franchise record for consecutive games shooting at least 50. The NBA record is 10 straight by the 1984 L.A. Lakers. The Suns have now beaten the Mavericks in 11 straight games and five in a row this season.

Why Bet on Dallas?

Luka Doncic had 24 points, four rebounds and six assists on 9-of-14 shooting in the first half of Wednesday’s Game 2 take a 60-58 lead over the Suns into halftime, but was shut down in the second half in a 20-point loss. Luka finished with 35 points, five rebounds and seven assists. He actually had to be held back from going after a Suns fan at one point in the second half and the Mavericks lost the second half 71-49 in what turned out to be a blowout.

Jalen Brunson hit just 3-of-12 shots and a 3-pointer for nine points, five rebounds and two assists. Brunson hit 6-of-16 shots for 13 points in Game 1 and is now averaging just 11 points on 9-of-28 shooting in the first two games of this series. Spencer Dinwiddie hit just 3-of-10 shots for 11 points tonight and these two are the X-factors for the Mavericks. Brunson hadn’t scored fewer than 23 points in his first six playoff games.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd urged his team after Game 2 to provide Doncic with more help: “[Luka] had a great game, but no one else showed. We’ve got to get other guys shooting the ball better. We can’t win with just him out there scoring 30 a night — not at this time of the year. And we’re playing the best team in the league, so we’ve got to get other guys going.”

Kidd mentioned Brunson and Dinwiddie specifically, as the two have combined for 41 points on 32% shooting in Games 1 and 2. Luka has 80 points, 17 rebounds and 15 assists in the first two games. Brunson, Dinwiddie, Dwight Powell and Dorian Finney-Smith have combined for 66 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists.

The Suns are running a lot of offensive plays with the idea of putting Doncic to work on the defensive end. They seek him out to make him have to defend either the picker or the roller in pick-and-roll situations. The Suns went after Doncic 50 times as the screen defender in the pick and roll. Phoenix scored 1.72 points per possession on these opportunities in Game 2.

“We got to do a better job of helping him,” Kidd said. “They’re bringing him up into everything. We knew that coming into the series. The last series, we did a better job. We got to get back to protecting one another for Game 3 back at home.”

Game Trends

Suns are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
Suns are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Suns are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
Mavericks are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Mavericks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 home games.
Mavericks are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Suns are 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings in Dallas.