By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Kevin Durant sealed it for the Phoenix Suns getting the visitors to the finish line.
Opening the NBA Sundays schedule, the Suns edged the Dallas Mavericks, 130-126, in American Airlines Center.
Luka Doncic finished with 34 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. But the Slovenian star missed the chance to tie with 3.5 seconds on the clock. Immediately after the deciding play, engaging in a brief scuffle with Devin Booker forced the referees to issue double technicals.
Durant registered a game-high of 37 points. In his third outing with the Arizona organization, clutch abilities created his own opportunity, a pull-up jumper to tuck in the go-ahead bucket with 11.7 seconds left in the NBA Regular Season contest. Adding two free throws after the scuffle between Doncic and Booker confirmed the winner. As for Booker, the former Kentucky standout posted a 36-point, 10-assist double-double.
Coming off the 40-point showing combined with 42 points by Doncic in the win against the Philadelphia 76ers, Kyrie Irving had 30 points.
Tim Hardaway Jr. ended up with 21 of the 48 bench points for the Mavs. French Frank Ntilikina put in two free throws in the massive tally of the reserves and dished out one assist in a nine-minute appearance.
German forward Maxi Kleber dealing with the right hamstring tear that forced him to the sidelines for several months was ruled out for the night after returning to action earlier in the week. After one month on the injury list, Latvian Davis Bertans was cleared from a left calf strain but did not play.
The winning side jumped to 36-29 and forced the Mavericks to 33-32 Sunday.
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