GameDay: Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

Mavericks at Suns

8 p.m. Sunday, US Airways Center, Phoenix

TV: FSSW

Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM, ESPN/1540 AM (Spanish)

Records: Mavs 44-26, Suns 37-33

About the Mavs: After winning three straight games, the Mavs were flat-out awful in losing to Memphis 112-101 on Friday night in the finale of a five-game homestand. ... Backup point guard J.J. Barea suffered a left ankle sprain in Saturday’s practice. The injury was severe enough that Barea didn’t make the trip to Phoenix. ... Amar’e Stoudemire is back where his career started. The center/forward was the ninth overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by Phoenix and played eight seasons for the Suns. ... After playing Phoenix, the Mavs’ next two games are against San Antonio — Tuesday in Dallas and Friday in San Antonio.

About the Suns: Phoenix is battling with Oklahoma City and New Orleans for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. The Suns are in 10th place, 2 1/2 games behind eighth-place OKC. ... The Suns are 20-15 at home and only 19-22 against West teams after a 117-102 win at Houston on Saturday night. ... Phoenix is 2-0 against the Mavs this season. Markieff Morris had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Eric Bledsoe added 19 points as the Suns beat the Mavs in Dallas 118-106 on Dec. 5. The Suns shot 56.3 percent from the field, hitting 13 of 26 3-point attempts. In Phoenix on Dec. 23, Bledsoe had a triple-double — 16 points, 10 rebounds 11 assists — as the Suns defeated the Mavs 124-115. The Suns outscored the Mavs in fast-break points 32-18. ... Phoenix’s leading scorer in both games was the since-traded Goran Dragic.

This story was originally published March 21, 2015 at 6:04 PM with the headline "GameDay: Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns."