Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns Prediction & Match Preview - November 17th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Dallas Mavericks will embark on a four-game road trip starting Wednesday when they take on the Phoenix Suns at the Footprint Center. The Mavericks are coming off an impressive win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Meanwhile, the Suns extended their winning streak to nine games with a victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With their 111-101 win over the Nuggets, the Mavericks are now third in the Western Conference standings with a 9-4 record. They have now won two games in a row and five of their last six games. In the process, the Mavericks also avenged their 106-75 loss to the Nuggets back on October 29th.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns stayed hot with a hard-fought 99-96 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. The Suns were unable to put away the Timberwolves, with Devin Booker icing the game at the free throw line in the final seconds.
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Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 17th; 10:00 PM ET (Thursday, November 18th; 8:30 AM IST)
Venue: Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks overhauled their front office and coaching staff in the offseason to appease Luka Doncic, who signed his rookie max extension. Under new head coach Jason Kidd, things have not been smooth, but the team is slowly getting results and playing well.
The Mavericks tied the season series 1-1 with the Denver Nuggets, with a 111-101 win on Monday. Kristaps Porzingis led the team with 29 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Porzingis played mostly at center, but coach Kidd wants to limit his minutes at the position moving forward.
"KP was great on both sides of the ball. When you look at KP at the 5, we don't want to have him out there for 40 minutes for the journey of the season. That's just too many minutes," Kidd said.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic signed his rookie max contract extension in the offseason, which means he will be part of the Dallas Mavericks franchise for five more years. Doncic was one of the favorites to win the NBA MVP award entering the season, but he has struggled with his shooting this season.
In 13 games this season, Doncic is averaging 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists. That is an incredible stat-line, but he's shooting just 43.4% from the field and a career-low 30.8% from the three-point area. Doncic is starting to find his rhythm, though, shooting 39.0% from beyond the arc in his last five games.
The 22-year-old superstar does so many things on the floor, which makes him the most important player for the Dallas Mavericks. If Doncic can help his team to an early offensive barrage against the Suns, the team will have a chance of ending the streak.
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Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Luka Doncic; G - Tim Hardaway Jr.; F - Dorian Finney-Smith; F - Kristaps Porzingis; C - Dwight Powell.
Phoenix Suns Preview
The Phoenix Suns entered the season more determined as ever, as they were two wins away from winning their first NBA championship last season. Despite their slow start this campaign, the DeAndre Ayton extension fiasco and the Robert Sarver controversy, the Suns are in fine form with a nine-game winning streak.
The Suns defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 99-96 on Monday for their ninth win in a row and tenth overall. Phoenix started the season 1-3, but their last loss came at the hands of Harrison Barnes' buzzer-beater back on October 27th.
It has been a total team effort for the Suns, led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Despite minor injuries to DeAndre Ayton and Cameron Payne, it's next man up for Phoenix. Now that both players are healthy, the Suns are much more dangerous. They'll look to extend their winning streak to ten games, with a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Key Player - Chris Paul
Chris Paul decided to stay with the Phoenix Suns by signing an extension in the offseason. Paul may be 36, but he's been playing great for the Suns this season. His scoring may be down, but his assists numbers are up, and he's making his teammates better.
In the win over the Timberwolves, Paul had 21 points, three rebounds and eight assists. After the game, he praised the Phoenix Suns' defense on the final possession. He also said that the experience they've got during their streak should help them later on in the season.
"I think there’s a trust factor there. We know when we want to foul. We know what sort of plays we want to go to down the stretch. I think these are some of the games where that continuity really helps us," Paul said.
Phoenix Suns Predicted Lineup
G - Chris Paul; G - Devin Booker; F - Mikal Bridges; F - Jae Crowder; C - DeAndre Ayton.
Mavericks vs Suns Match Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks trying to end the winning streak of the Phoenix Suns could make for an interesting contest. The Mavericks are still finding their footing under head coach Jason Kidd, so it could be a tough task for them to beat the Suns in Phoenix.
The Suns survived the absence of DeAndre Ayton, and now that he's back, they could be tougher to beat. Expect a competitive game, with the Suns possibly getting the win over the Dallas Mavericks and extending their win streak to ten.
Where to watch Mavericks vs Suns?
The Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns game will be nationally televised on ESPN. It will also be streamed live on the NBA League Pass. Local fans can watch the game on Bally Sports Southwest in Dallas and Bally Sports Arizona in Phoenix.
Also Read: What is Devin Booker’s Net Worth in 2021?