Mavericks Gameday: Dallas will take on slumping Suns
Suns at Mavericks
6 p.m. Sunday, American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: FSSW Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM, ESPN Deportes 1540 AM (Spanish)
Records: Suns 14-34, Mavericks 27-22
About the Suns: This season, which began with so much promise, has seen the Suns lose 18 of their 34 losses by 10 or more points. … Since Dec. 20, the Suns have lost 18 of 20 games. And nine of those losses have been by 18 or more points. The lone wins during that stretch were 111-102 over Charlotte on Jan. 6 and 98-95 over Atlanta on Jan. 23. … It all started to unravel for the Suns on Dec. 26 against Philadelphia when top scorer Eric Bledsoe suffered a season-ending torn meniscus in his left knee. Before that game the Suns were 12-19, and they have since been only 2-15. Bledsoe finished the season averaging 20.4 ppg. … Brandon Knight (19.7 ppg, 5.1 apg), T.J. Warren (11 ppg) and Markieff Morris (10.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg) are left to lead the Suns’ charges. Former Mavericks center Tyson Chandler averages 5.5 ppg and 8.3 rpg in 23.2 mpg.
About the Mavericks: Dallas opened this brief two-game homestand with Friday’s 91-79 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. … Chandler Parsons and Zaza Pachulia were the major difference-makers in that win, each posting a double-double. Parsons (19 points, season-high 10 rebounds) collected his first double-double of the year, and Pachulia (16 points, 12 rebounds) picked up his career-high-tying 21st double-double of the season. … This is the first leg of a back-to-back for the Maverciks, who play at Atlanta on Monday. The Mavericks are 5-7 on the first leg of a back-to-back. … Dallas had eight players score 10 or more points on Oct. 28 when the Mavs opened the season with a 111-95 win in Phoenix. … The Mavericks also beat the Suns 104-94 in Dallas on Dec. 14. … Raymond Felton had 18 points in the first victory over Phoenix and 17 in the second.
This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Mavericks Gameday: Dallas will take on slumping Suns."