Devin Booker Leads Suns to Win vs. Luka Doncic-less Mavericks

The streaking Phoenix Suns stayed hot Wednesday, earning their 10th consecutive victory with a 105-98 win over the Dallas Mavericks at home. It's their first 10-game win streak since 2010

Devin Booker had 24 points to lead the way for Phoenix, which has the fourth-ranked offense in the NBA. The Suns improved to 11-3 with the victory.

The Mavericks, who entered the game having won five of their last six games, fell to 9-5. Tim Hardaway Jr. had a team-high 22 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 21.

Star point guard Luka Doncic sat out for Dallas as he nursed left ankle and knee sprains suffered in Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets.

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Notable Player Stats

G Devin Booker, PHX: 24 points, 9 rebounds

C Deandre Ayton, PHX: 19 points, 13 rebounds

G Chris Paul: 7 points (2-for-12 FG), 14 assists

G Tim Hardaway Jr., DAL: 22 points

F Kristaps Porzingis, DAL: 21 points

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Suns Wake Up in Fourth Quarter

It took a while for Phoenix to get going, but the defending Western Conference champion showed its resiliency in the fourth quarter.

The Suns had struggled from three-point range through the first three quarters, making just eight of their 31 attempts (25.8 percent). They fell behind by as many as eight points in the third quarter. Things turned around in the final frame as Phoenix went 5-for-8 from three in the fourth.

Chris Paul struggled all night, starting 0-for-9 from the field. But he continued orchestrating the offense with seven of his 14 assists coming in the fourth quarter, including this beauty to Deandre Ayton.

The game was tied at 96 with two and a half minutes left, but the Suns closed the game on a 9-2 run to secure the win.

Phoenix had the luxury of facing a Dallas team that was without its closer in Doncic. A fourth quarter surge is great, but the Suns would have had an easier time had they started the game with the same focus and efficiency.

Still, a comeback win is something Phoenix can build on going forward. The team showed grit and toughness to put away the scrappy Mavericks. With this 10-game win streak, the Suns are showing that last year's trip to the NBA Finals was no fluke and they are still among the top teams in the West.

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Mavericks' Three-Point Shooting Keeps Them in the Game

With Doncic out of the lineup, the Mavericks needed their role players to produce on Wednesday, and they did just that. Thanks to some efficient shooting from beyond the arc, Dallas kept the game close and even had Phoenix against the ropes at times.

Dallas shot 8-for-17 from three-point range in the first half. A hot start to the third quarter helped the Mavericks build an eight-point lead before the Suns closed the gap. The Mavs went 7-for-11 from deep in the third quarter alone.

Frank Ntilikina (13 points) and Trey Burke (10 points) were surprising contributors and combined to shoot 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.

But the Suns ran the Mavericks off the line in the fourth quarter, allowing just four three-point attempts and Dallas connected on just one of those shots. The Mavericks were outscored 37-25 in the final period.

It can't be expected that the Mavericks will shoot 50 percent from three-point land every night, but Wednesday's performance should be a confidence booster for the team's role players. If Dallas can continue to get contributions from players not named Doncic or Porzingis, it would take the pressure off the two top stars and open up the flow of the offense.

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What's Next?

The Suns will go for their 11th straight win Friday in a rematch against the Mavericks, who will be looking to bounce back and put an end to their streak.