Suns

Dallas Mavericks phenom Luka Doncic had to be playing with some discomfort for most of Monday's series opener against the Phoenix Suns.

45/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) dunks the ball past Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder (99) during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 43/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts after a call went against the Mavericks during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 42/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) blocks a shot by Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 41/48Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks forward Reggie Bullock (25) in front of the Mavericks bench during the fourth quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 35/48Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith (10) dunks the ball past Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the third quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 32/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts after a foul call went against the Mavericks during the third quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 27/48Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith (10) is defended by Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the second quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 20/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic falls into the first row of the corwd during the first quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) While attempting a 3-point shot with less than nine minutes to go in the second quarter, Suns forward Jae Crowder accidentally caught Doncic where the sun don’t shine. 19/48Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) is fouled by Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) during the first quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 18/48Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) is defended by Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson (23) during the first quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer) 13/48Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) has his shot blocked by Phoenix Suns guard Landry Shamet (14) during the second quarter in Game 1 of an NBA second round playoff series on Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix, Ariz.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Dallas, on the other hand, got 45 points from Luka Dončić, but not much from everyone else. Every Suns starter scored in double figures, compared to only three ...

At the same time, Dallas seemed to bother Phoenix a bit by playing super small—taking Kleber off the floor and going with Luka, Brunson, Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, and Dorian Finney-Smith. Dončić was able to find some driving lanes, while Ayton curiously couldn’t take advantage late as well as he did earlier in the night. After a first round matchup that was draining both emotionally and physically, as well as the injury scare with Booker, every minute could end up counting for the Suns. (The Suns had a 140.8 offensive rating in Kleber’s 24 minutes.) Part of this is by design—Luka is always going to be a high usage player, and he’s young enough to carry such a load for Dallas. But it’s a style that often becomes more difficult as the playoffs endure. And how much of that was Phoenix taking its foot off the gas? CP3 will turn 37 during this series, and while he’s still more than capable of winning as either a facilitator or scorer, Phoenix needs to make sure he’s fresh for all four rounds. (He finished with 23 points, anyway.) Cam Payne hit four of his eight attempts after shooting only 29.5% against the Pels. And Jae Crowder and Cam Johnson combined to hit six threes. Phoenix coach Monty Williams said after the game he wasn’t thinking about Round 1 when he gave Paul an extended break in the second, but in general he likes to get Paul extra rest when he can. The big lead the Suns built in the first half—going up by as much as 14 in the second quarter—gave Williams the luxury to ride other units. On the flip side, Luka played 44 minutes and looked a little worse for the wear toward the latter half of the fourth quarter. I just told coach I ain’t play much in the second quarter,” Paul said after the game. Paul, who scored 33 in the Round 1 clincher, played only 29 minutes in the victory, an indicator of how balanced his Phoenix team is. The Suns took Game 1 against the Mavs in their second-round series with a 121–114 win.

Despite a big night from Luka Doncic, Phoenix uses its guard depth and the play of center Deandre Ayton to build a 1-0 lead in the West semifinals.

Of course, Phoenix coach Monty Williams wasn’t happy with Doncic hitting the Suns for 45 points. Doncic still managed to fire up a game-high 11 3-point attempts as the Mavericks attempted 39 of them overall. Kidd is correct, considering the other Mavericks starters not named “Doncic” combined to score just 39 points. For the most part, Phoenix excelled at staying in front of Doncic and the rest of Dallas’ playmakers. It’s clear Phoenix understands just how easily Doncic can make a defense start scrambling, and the Suns want no parts of that. Doncic managed to rack up 14 points in the first frame. Whenever Doncic and Maxi Kleber were both in the game, the Suns switched everything to keep the point guard from finding the power forward for open looks. Phoenix hardly ever ran extra defenders at Doncic to make him give up the ball. Kleber still hit 5 of 6 from deep in the first half for 16 points. Doncic became the youngest player since Kobe Bryant in 2001 to pour in 45 points with at least 10 rebounds in a playoff contest. He started off the night sizzling, hitting four of his first six shots. Cameron Johnson chipped in a playoff career-high 17 points, while veteran point guard Chris Paul simply blessed us with the best field goal percentage by a guard over any two-game playoff span (21-of-27 shooting over his last two games) in scoring his 19 points on 7 of 13 from the floor.

Your weekly Inside the Suns analysis straight from the BSotS community who live and breathe the team.

Rod: They can’t best the Suns with a small ball lineup as they did with the Jazz but I don’t doubt them trying it. But their primary goal initially is probably to do everything they can to stop CP3. He’s the one who is pretty healthy, and he’s the guy that runs this whole team. Rod: On offense, the Suns definitely need to feed Deandre Ayton the ball and attack the basket. Alex S: Mavs are going to try to throw everything at Booker and make the “others” beat them. On defense, the Suns are going to have to play great perimeter D. Dallas leads everybody in three-point attempts (41.6 per game) and hits a very respectable 37.1% from downtown. he does like the playoffs, and seems to usually turn it on a bit more in them. With the Pels, the Suns seemed to think they could “flip the switch” and get wins when ever they wanted. GuarGuar: I think Dallas is really going to try and get us in foul trouble. The other guys are going to need to step up in the early games of the series against the Mavs. And that’s a tall ask given that Mikal is going to have all he can handle on the defensive side with Luka. I really hope Ayton steps up. Sun-Arc: Lots to unpack with this next series- but if I have to focus on one area it would be: Energy. The Suns won the most games in the regular season because they outworked everyone else in 78% of their games. My hope is Book looks to be 80%+ by game 1 and can take on more workload as the series progresses. The Suns are off to a 1-0 series lead following a solid performance in game one by their starters and key bench players.

Dallas looked helpless for most of the series opener in Phoenix, and then the team went on a massive run.

"I thought Do was great at the 5," Kidd said. "I liked the fact that we were not settling for the 3s tonight," Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. "We sort of looked like ourselves as far as sharing the ball and guys making shots," Paul said. "Anytime a guy has 45, you look at that number and … you don't like it," Williams said. When the Suns look their best, they are putting opposing teams in rotation, moving the ball from side to side and creating easy looks all over the court. Soon thereafter on Monday, the Suns had a 9-0 lead, and then it was 20-6, a barrage of ball movement and transition points.

The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns face off on Wednesday in Phoenix in Game 2 of their NBA Playoffs series.

Warriors vs. Mavs vs. Celtics vs. Warriors vs. Mavs vs. Celtics vs. - 76ers vs. - 76ers vs. Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. NBA Finals MVP NBA Championship Jason Radowitz writes: "What was most obvious in the first game is Dallas' inability to defend inside the arc.

Can Phoenix make the memories of last year's NBA Finals collapse fade this postseason?

And now you have to find whatever it is to step on that floor and respect your opponent with your ‘A’ game every time you step out there.” And that allows for you to bring your ‘A’ game every time you step on the floor. “And when you put the stats up on the screen and show the guys, you have to have what we call the appropriate fear. They were up 2-0 before Giannis Antetokounmpo took over, when Paul’s injured left wrist posed a bigger problem than we’d realized and the Suns had no answer for the unofficial Bucks sweep that followed. Can these Suns do the same? The Suns finished eight games up on second-place Memphis. It served the Suns well against the Pelicans, who commanded their respect in a series that came with so many emotional ties between the two teams. At the moment, it means realizing Luka Dončić is the kind of special player who can have 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists yet still leave you feeling as if he could have been so much better. When Phoenix beat New Orleans in Game 1 of the first round, first-year Suns center and three-time champion JaVale McGee reminded his teammates that they only needed 15 more wins to reach the basketball promised land. “We just talked about appropriate fear,” Williams said when I asked about his chosen message to his team entering this series. But this was a far cry from the madhouse scene that followed nearly every playoff win last season. Yet it was as if even the Suns’ most ardent loyalists knew this 121-114 win was nothing to write home about, not only because the team let it get close at the end after leading by 21 points midway through the fourth quarter, but also because, well, there’s a much bigger prize in play here.

JaVale McGee's big steal, Devin Booker's return to stellar form and Mikal Bridges' stifling defense were among the top Game 1 storylines.

“I wish that was part of the scheme, but that was just Mikal making a great play.” Of course, the next NBA player to answer a health question truthfully in the playoffs will be the first. In the series win over New Orleans, he defended 6-foot-8 forward Brandon Ingram and 6-3 guard CJ McCollum. Having an elite defender like that in the postseason is invaluable. Perhaps the most encouraging sign for Phoenix was that Booker looked more like himself. “Anytime you can allow him more rest, it is helpful because I think it allows him to be fresher in the fourth quarter.” The Suns were different offensively, but they have similar defensive qualities, especially in length and versatility. “He just covered a lot of ground,” Williams said. Suns coach Monty Williams subbed out Paul with 4:12 left in the third quarter. In a game that featured the star power of Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Luka Dončić, it was a 34-year-old journeyman who lit up social media. Man, I went outside the coaches’ box (in celebration),” Suns center Deandre Ayton said. Fox coached McGee during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 college seasons and recognized early on that the big man had elite balance, which helped him on the perimeter. Fox, now the head coach for the California Golden Bears, was on hand to watch McGee and support Mavs coach Jason Kidd, a former Cal point guard.

The Suns led by 21 late in game, but Mavericks pulled to within five points in the closing minute to make it close.

“Them dudes were being relentless,” Ayton said of the Mavericks in that run. The Suns were a step slow and the Pelicans ran all over them. You all remember last round right, against the Pelicans? The Suns blew them out in Game 1 for three quarters before letting the game get tighter in the fourth quarter of an eventual 11-point win. So, I think we picked it up in that area, which led to early success for us in the game.” “Don’t take your foot off of it because they know, they know.” But a lot of it just seemed like the Suns starters had checked out, lost their ability to make a basket. “I think we still missed more shots than we usually do, but we liked the looks that we were getting. In an eight-minute span from 8:48 to 0:54 of the 4th, the Suns were ice cold. Dallas went super-small in this stretch — with Luka as the ‘big’ man and shooters/drivers all around — to change up the game. The bad finish wasn’t necessarily for lack of effort. The Suns are a heavy favorite in this series now. After JaVale McGee’s steal/dunk put the Suns up 21 points with 8:48 left, many teams would have thrown in the towel.

A sports television personality likes the Dallas Mavericks' chances of beating the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Playoffs after Game 1 of the series.

The Suns have the better roster. The Suns might have the better coach. … I believe the Pelicans come back to Phoenix for Game 7. He's doing it because he's trying to play some mind games that will not work with the Dallas Mavericks … This series is going to be a war. Did it despite Jae Crowder going full Chris Paul and kicking him in the groin mid-game. "Suns have no answer for Luka. Phoenix got every rebound & hit 3 desperation end of shot clock shots in the 2nd half that killed any comeback attempt.

Phoenix Suns backup point guard Cam Payne is back to feeling like his normal self following Monday night's win over the Dallas Mavericks.

So it was just a little different kind of gameplan and then obviously they’ve got a bulldog up there with Luka (Doncic). He’s a great player so we got to find ways to limit his numbers and keep him off the three-point line.” “It’s definitely a big difference,” Payne said. “That was huge,” he told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Tuesday of finding his shooting stroke in Game 1.

GAME 2: DALLAS MAVERICKS (0-1) at PHOENIX SUNS (1-0). Time: 9 p.m., Wednesday. Place: Footprint Center, Phoenix. TV: TNT. Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; ...

They shot 63.6 percent in the first half, 50 percent in the third quarter. Crowder finished with 11 points and eight rebounds . . . After Game 2, there will be a quick turnaround for the Suns, traveling on Thursday for Friday’s Game 3 at American Airlines Center. He didn’t play poorly, but he did have shooting problems (6-of-16, 1-of-6 in the first half). He had three points and three fouls at halftime and finished with 13 points. That was the best plus-minus on the team in the series opener . . . The Suns did not miss a free throw in Game 1 (18-for-18). That was a key considering the Mavericks shot 18-of-25 for 72 percent. About the Suns: They did a lot of things well in Game 1, but their best asset continues to be putting the ball in the basket. Ayton finished with 25 points and eight rebounds . . . The Suns are up 1-0 without a monster night from Chris Paul. He had a quiet 19 points, three assists and five rebounds on Monday. It’s worth noting, though, that the Suns were plus-14 while Paul was on the floor. The Suns believe they have the quickness, size and physicality to play all the Mavericks one-on-one. That’s a big reason why they’ve scored 110 or more points in six of those seven . . . Deandre Ayton hit 12 of his first 15 shots in Game 1. The Suns have shot 50 percent or better in all seven playoff games thus far. Speaking of Dinwiddie, he could muster just eight points in 30 minutes off the bench in Game 1 . . . But the biggest adjustment has to be rebounding. That’s part of the fallout of playing small lineups, which Kidd said will continue . . . Luka Dončić will have a tough time topping his Game 1 effort (45 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists). Now, as Kidd said it’s time for somebody else “to join the party.” About the Mavericks: They got blitzed in Game 1 with a 22-7 haymaker right out of the gate and never fully recovered.

Dallas found late success with a smaller lineup in Game 1, while Phoenix is already preparing to counter it.

“There were some miscommunications in transition that we were trying to get to our man instead of just finding a guy and then figuring it out later on in the possession,” Williams explained. But some, we can certainly take out just with transition defense, and just the ability to guard the ball, and not have to help with something that’s hard against them, but we feel we can do a better job [of].” That’s just the way we play.” “We’ve got to attack more paint.” Williams and the Suns anticipate as much in Game 2, as well as more 3-point attempts from the visitors. The Mavericks jacked 39 shots from range in Game 1. “I just feel like no matter who’s in there – small-ball lineup or a bigger lineup – if we’re playing hard from the beginning of the game, it’s gonna put us in a better position to be successful. So, we’ve got to do the same thing. “We eased into the game,” Brunson said Tuesday before Dallas’ practice session. But that duo combined over 30 minutes apiece to shoot 9 of 21 in Game 1, finishing plus-2 and minus-7, respectively. We went and looked at the film, [and saw] we missed a number of bunnies around the basket. “But there’s a certain way we like to play, and we felt like we had decent control of the game.

The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat secured wins in Game 1 of their respective second round playoff series: Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 106-92 while ...

"We just were able to get organized in the second half. A 10-0 run in the third followed by a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter were enough to secure victory. We did it with a little bit more thought and discipline, and just that extra effort ignited everyone on the team." The rest of the 76ers didn't fare much better, shooting 6-for-34 from three-point range and conceding 15 turnovers that yielded 22 points for the Heat. "Our start on the defensive end was terrible, and we've got to change that. We played well most of the game.

In the Western Conference, the Suns have a 10-game winning streak against the Dallas Mavericks, counting regular season games, going into Game 2. Deandre Ayton ...

He stayed in the game to take his free throw but looked shaken. — KEEP AN EYE ON: Dallas G Jalen Brunson. Arguably the biggest reason the Mavs are still playing in this postseason is Brunson, who was had some big games when Doncic missed the first three contests of the Jazz series with a strained calf. Mavs guard Luka Doncic was phenomenal with 45 points but needs help for the Dallas to get a road win. — NEED TO KNOW: The Suns were dominant for most of Game 1, looking much more like the team that led the NBA with 64 regular season wins. Tobias Harris -- who was great against the Heat in the regular season -- had a game-high 27 points. That, combined with the possibility of Embiid returning at some point, would be a huge boost to the 76ers. ... To get in the game and let that pressure take us out of that, it’s not disheartening but really troubling.” Miami PG Kyle Lowry (hamstring) has not played since Game 3 of the first-round series against Atlanta and will not play Wednesday. Butler had an excused absence on Tuesday, but is no longer on the Heat injury report. — NEED TO KNOW: Miami’s Bam Adebayo was 8 for 10 from the floor in Game 1, Tyler Herro got his shooting stroke back and the Heat won without a big night from Jimmy Butler (15 points). But the 76ers found things that they liked; zone defense worked to a certain extent, though exposed Philadelphia a bit on the offensive glass. As for the Mavericks, they need someone to help Luka Doncic, who scored 45 points, had 12 rebounds and eight assists in Game 1. Phoenix held on for a 121-114 win and said the game taught them a valuable lesson. Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and Chris Paul had 19 in Game 1 in a balanced and mostly dominant performance.

Dallas Mavericks (52-30, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (64-18, first in the Western Conference)

The Suns won the last meeting 121-114 on May 3 led by 25 points from Deandre Ayton, while Luka Doncic scored 45 points for the Mavericks. The Mavericks are 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. The Suns have gone 39-13 against Western Conference opponents. BOTTOM LINE: The Phoenix Suns host the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference second round with a 1-0 lead in the series. Phoenix Suns (64-18, first in the Western Conference) Dallas Mavericks (52-30, fourth in the Western Conference) vs.

PHOENIX (AP) — After a brief hiatus, the Phoenix Suns that bulldozed through the regular-season schedule made an appearance on Monday night.

The Mavericks stayed in the game for a while thanks to Doncic and Kleber, who hit his first four 3-pointers. Fitzgerald is a part-owner of the franchise. Mavericks: Doncic scored 14 points in the first quarter on 5 of 9 shooting. Phoenix extended its lead to 18-6 midway through the first quarter before a discombobulated Dallas called timeout. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. They shot 50.5% from the field, won the rebounding edge 51-36 and beat the Mavericks for the 10th straight time, counting regular season games.

The Dallas Mavericks opened their Western Conference Semifinals bid with a 121-114 defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the series.

It was another impressive performance from him though it still didn’t result in a win as the Suns gained a 1-0 series lead over the Mavericks. Without a doubt, Doncic will have to maintain his high level of production as Dallas’ top option just for the team to keep it close against a more talented Phoenix squad. Many things have to align for Dallas, especially on the offensive end, if the team wants to put up a legitimate threat against Phoenix. The Mavericks can increase their chances of winning if Luka Doncic puts up another high-scoring outing and receives better production from his supporting cast. It was certainly not enough for the Mavericks as they needed more production from Doncic’s supporting cast, especially from him in order to keep up with a strong team like the Suns. They managed to shoot a respectable 41.0% from beyond the arc as compared to the Suns’ 39.3% in Game 1 of the series. The Dallas Mavericks opened their Western Conference Semifinals bid with a 121-114 defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the series. Luka Doncic had another stellar outing for Dallas though it wasn’t enough to lead his team to victory despite being able to trim the margin a bit in the fourth quarter.

PHOENIX (AP) — Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the top-seeded Phoenix Suns rolled to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Maverick.

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. The Suns never trailed, jumping to a 9-0 lead in the opening minutes and rarely let off the gas. And as would be expected, he was missed.

For a few, brief moments in the first round, the Phoenix Suns looked vulnerable. When Devin Booker was injured, the 64-18 Suns were pushed to the limit by ...

The ones that allowed the Suns to dominate the bulk of the night? As well as Doncic has always played in the playoffs, a healthy Booker makes this a mismatch. The Suns may be the NBA's best team, but Doncic, in a playoff setting, could easily be its best player. If the Mavericks continue to do so in this series, Ayton is going to continue punishing them for it, and with restricted free agency coming up this summer, the timing for him couldn't be better. For a few, brief moments in the first round, the Phoenix Suns looked vulnerable. The Suns looked mortal.

The Phoenix Suns come into Wednesday night's Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals as sizeable favorites over the Dallas Mavericks.

The over also hit, as the two teams combined for 235 total points on the night. The Phoenix Suns come into Wednesday night’s Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals as sizeable favorites over the Dallas Mavericks. Phoenix Suns enter Game 2 as sizeable favorites over Dallas Mavericks

He's in the middle of a postseason run. So Williams didn't even remember the Phoenix Suns named him head coach exactly three years ago to the day, May 3, 2019.

“I prayed about it, and it was the only place I had peace about coming,” Williams said. “I love the city. “He was basically running that,” Johnson said. “It’s not easy to win in this league,” Kidd said. “I think you just do the best job where you are,” Williams said. I think it was solidified with the conversations I had with the players that I talked to that week and the organization putting their arms around me.” “It was a true like, 'we’re so happy you’re here.'” “And I don’t mean that from just an organization standpoint. “I didn’t know if I was going to get a chance,” Williams said. I was going to EuroBasket, going to practices. “I may be a scout for the rest of my life,” a laughing Williams said. “And I was having a ball.

The Phoenix Suns have announced their initial injury report for Game 2 against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday evening in Arizona.

- CHRIS PAUL MEETS WITH MEDIA AFTER GAME 6: The Phoenix Suns clinched their first-round playoff series with a win over the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 6 on Thursday evening. The Suns beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the first-round, while the Mavs beat the Utah Jazz. For the game, the Suns have released their initial injury report.

In the Western Conference, the Suns have a 10-game winning streak against the Dallas Mavericks, counting regular season games, going into Game 2. Deandre Ayton ...

Need to know: The Suns were dominant for most of Game 1, looking much more like the team that led the NBA with 64 regular season wins. Keep an eye on: Dallas G Jalen Brunson. Arguably the biggest reason the Mavs are still playing in this post-season is Brunson, who has had some big games when Doncic missed the first three contests of the Jazz series with a strained calf. Doncic – as usual – has been fabulous but if the Mavs can’t find him some help this could be a short series. Tobias Harris – who was great against the Heat in the regular season – had a game-high 27 points. That combined with the possibility of Embiid returning at some point would be a huge boost to the 76ers. The Mavs hope they can take some confidence from a late-game run that made the score fairly close in the final few possessions. ... To get in the game and let that pressure take us out of that, it’s not disheartening but really troubling.” Need to know: Miami’s Bam Adebayo was 8-for-10 from the floor in Game 1, Tyler Herro got his shooting stroke back and the Heat won without a big night from Jimmy Butler (15 points). But the 76ers found things that they liked; zone defence worked to a certain extent, though exposed Philadelphia a bit on the offensive glass. As for the Mavericks, they need someone to help Luka Doncic, who scored 45 points, had 12 rebounds and eight assists in Game 1. Phoenix held on for a 121-114 win and said the game taught them a valuable lesson. We have to go back to the drawing board. Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and Chris Paul had 19 in Game 1 in a balanced and mostly dominant performance.

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are top seeds in the NBA playoffs and at the moment they look like it, coming off impressive performances.