Kyrie Irving scored 20 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 98-89 win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. The Mavericks, playing without Luka Doncic due to a calf injury, improved to 20-11 on the season.

Irving hit five of his 10 three-point attempts, while Daniel Gafford contributed 16 points and five rebounds. Dallas maintained control throughout the game, never trailing and building an 18-point lead at one stage. Spencer Dinwiddie and Maxi Kleber each added 15 points off the bench.

Phoenix relied heavily on Kevin Durant, who finished with 35 points on 11-for-19 shooting. Despite his efforts, the Suns fell to 15-15 and have now lost four of their last five games. Injuries to key players, including Devin Booker, have significantly impacted the team’s early success.

The Mavericks took a commanding 55-39 lead by halftime, with Irving scoring 15 points in the first two quarters. Phoenix struggled offensively, shooting just 33.3% from the field in the opening half. Their shooting woes continued, as they finished the game at 38.6%.

The contest turned physical in the third quarter when Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, and Jusuf Nurkic were ejected after a brief altercation.

Phoenix cut the lead to six in the fourth quarter, but Dallas responded with timely baskets to secure the win. The Mavericks’ defense limited the Suns’ secondary scoring options, with only Royce O’Neale reaching double figures aside from Durant.

Dallas was efficient from the free-throw line, converting 94.1% of their attempts, compared to Phoenix’s 66.7%. This consistency helped the Mavericks weather the Suns’ comeback attempts.