Suns
The Suns are doing everything in their power to earn a regular playoff spot and avoid the play-in tournament. If that means beating the mediocre Hawks at home, so be it.
This is what Phoenix did on Thursday behind the 30 points of Devin Booker and 21 from the reserve guard Eric Gordon.
As a result, the Suns (41-29) are 12 games above .500 for the first time this season. They’ve also won six of nine, so they’re warming up at the perfect time.
“It’s more of what we expect from our group, with the talent we have from top to bottom,” Booker told reporters.
- Along with that, the Suns received 47 points off the bench out of a total of 17 of 24 from the field. “Probably the best performance off the bench of the season,” said coach Frank Vogel.
- Phoenix entered Friday tied with the Mavericks for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, just a half-game back. before kings. “We want to finish top six,” Vogel said. “But the competition is tough.”
- For the record, the Mavs hold the tiebreaker against the Suns.
Nonconformists
For now, the Mavs hold the tiebreaker against the Suns for sixth place in the West, thanks to Thursday’s announcement. home victory on Jazz.
Without surprise, Luka Doncic led the way with 34 points, nine rebounds and eight assists – as Dallas reeled off three straight wins. That said, the Mavs achieve this as a team in the truest sense of the word.
“The guys are very unselfish and it’s really fun to watch and be a part of it,” coach Jason Kidd told reporters.
- Center Daniel Gafford, acquired in a February trade with the Wizards, scored a season-high 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting with Dallas. He leads the NBA in field goal percentage with a blistering 70.8%.
- Kidd on Gafford: “He has great hands. His ability to finish in traffic is something we haven’t had.
Jazz
- Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz in Thursday’s loss to the Mavs with 21 points, and Collin Sexton came off the bench to score 20. Sexton has now recorded at least 20 in six straight games.
- Utah has lost four straight and eight of 12. There are eight exhibition games remaining with 12 remaining.
- Jordan Clarkson missed his fifth straight game with a groin injury. We don’t know when he might return.
