Nurkic, 2 Dallas players ejected from game in 3rd

On By Littum

game

The Phoenix Suns (15-14) hosted by Dallas Mavericks (19-11) on Friday, airs on Arizona’s Family (Ch. 3 TV) at 19.00

This is the first of back-to-back games for both teams and the second of their three-game season series.

Devin Booker (left groin) will miss his fourth straight game for the Suns. Dallas star Luka Doncic (calf) is out at least a month. The Suns are led by Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal without Booker, and the Mavericks’ other top players are Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson.

Phoenix is ​​coming off its 110-100 home win against Denver on Christmas, which snapped a three-game skid. Dallas lost at Minnesota, 105-99, on the holiday. Phoenix and Dallas are eighth and fourth in the Western Conference standings.

Check azcentral for live updates of scores, highlights and stats during the Suns-Mavericks game.

Suns’ Nurkic, 2 Mavericks players ejected on 3rd

Kevin Durant scored 15 of his 28 points in the third quarter and Phoenix is ​​still down 72-64.

But an argument in the neighborhood was by far the most intense moment of the fight.

With the Suns down 60-44 at the 9:02 mark, Nurkic was called for an offensive foul for catching Daniel Gafford on a pass, causing them both to fall.

As Nurkic walked back toward the Mavericks’ end of the floor, he stopped and said something as he walked toward Kyrie Irving’s crouch. Nurkic and Naji Marshall then exchanged more words, and Nurkic took a swing at Marshall, igniting the dust-up. Marshall hit Nurkic in the neck and then PJ Washington pushed Nurkic.

After the scrap was reviewed by officials, all three players were assessed Flagrant 2 fouls, leading to automatic ejections.

The Suns then went on a brief 6-0 run to cut the lead to 10 at 6:26, but the Mavericks pushed the lead back to 18 on Kyrie Irving’s fifth make from deep at 3:45. Durant led the Suns on a 12-2 run to close the third and trimmed the lead to eight.

Mavericks extend lead, Suns struggle in 2nd quarter

Phoenix is ​​down by its biggest deficit, 55-39 at halftime. The Suns committed five of their seven turnovers in the second quarter.

Durant has the Suns’ team-high 13 points, but he cooled off from his 4-of-4 hot start in the opening period and went just 1-of-5 at halftime. Beal had nine points (4-of-11).

The Mavericks’ Irving had a game-high 15 points and their big Daniel Gafford had 10.

The Suns’ shooting fell to 3-of-12 overall in the second quarter after hitting 10-of-25 in the first.

Durant, Suns answer Irving, Maverick surge in 1st quarter

Phoenix trails Dallas 28-25 entering the second quarter.

Former Brooklyn teammates Durant and Irving both had the hot hands in the opening period. Durant had nine points on a perfect 4-for-4, and Irving scored a game-high 12 on 4-of-6 shooting, all from deep.

The Suns got off to a slow start as the Mavericks jumped out to a 14-4 lead, thanks to Irving hitting his first three attempts. After the Suns called timeout at 8:45 to stop the early bleeding, the Suns answered the Mavericks’ early surge with an 8-0 run of their own led by Beal (five points) and Durant, along with two steals by Ryan Dunn and Jusuf Nurkic.

Irving hit his fourth trey to put the Mavericks up 17-12, then the Suns’ Tyus Jones and the Mavericks’ Maxi Kleber traded 3s.

Josh Okogie contributed two made 3s off the bench for the Suns.

Starting lineups

The Suns will start Tyus Jones and Bradley Beal in the backcourt, Ryan Dunn at the three, Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic in the middle.

The Mavericks open with Irving running the point, two-guard Thompson, forwards Naji Marshall and PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford at center.

Suns’ Allen, Bol out

Phoenix sharpshooter Grayson Allen (concussion) and 7-footer Bol Bol (left knee) will miss their fourth straight games. Collin Gillespie and TyTy Washington are both out on G League assignments.

Dallas great Dereck Lively II (hip) and Dante Exum (wrist) are out.