The Phoenix Suns secured their place in the Western Conference play-in tournament Wednesday night after Devin Booker delivered a dominant offensive performance in a 112-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Booker finished with 37 points and nine assists, leading Phoenix past a short-handed Dallas team at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. The victory locked the Suns into the No. 7 seed in the West, guaranteeing them two chances at home to win a play-in game.
Phoenix improved to 44-36 with the win, while Dallas dropped to 25-55 and has already been eliminated from postseason contention.
Dillon Brooks provided key secondary scoring for the Suns, finishing with 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting, including four three-pointers. Booker controlled the offense throughout the night, shooting 13-of-27 from the field and converting all nine of his free-throw attempts.
The Suns built an early cushion and led 71-53 early in the third quarter before the Mavericks mounted a significant comeback.
Dallas used an 18-1 run to erase the deficit and shift momentum. Max Christie later knocked down a three-pointer with 8:16 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Mavericks a 95-93 lead, their first advantage of the second half.
Phoenix quickly responded with a decisive 9-0 run to regain control of the game. The Mavericks made one final push in the closing minutes.
Undrafted rookie John Poulakidas, a 6-foot-5 guard out of Yale, scored a season-high 23 points off the bench and cut the deficit to 110-107 with a three-pointer with 1:08 remaining.
Dallas had an opportunity to get even closer on its next possession, but Oso Ighodaro delivered a critical defensive play by blocking Moussa Cisse at the rim.
Brooks then sealed the outcome with a driving layup with 13.7 seconds remaining.
The Mavericks received balanced contributions despite playing with only 10 available players because of injuries. Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and eight rebounds on 8-of-11 shooting, while Christie finished with 18 points and four three-pointers.
Cooper Flagg, considered the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, struggled offensively. The rookie recorded 11 points on 4-of-19 shooting but contributed 11 rebounds and six assists.
Phoenix also received a strong effort from rookie center Khaman Maluach, who made his first start of the season. The 7-foot-1 big man collected a season-high 14 rebounds and blocked three shots, including a fourth-quarter rejection of Flagg on a dunk attempt.
Royce O’Neale added 14 points for the Suns off the bench.
The victory came with potential injury concerns for Phoenix. Jalen Green and Jordan Goodwin both exited during the first half and did not return. Green has been limited to 32 games this season because of injuries, primarily related to his hamstring.
Dallas shot 42% from the field and made 13 three-pointers but struggled to keep pace with Phoenix’s offensive production in the opening half.
The Mavericks will travel to San Antonio for their next game Friday, while the Suns continue their road trip against the Los Angeles Lakers.
