The Dallas Mavericks (17-12) and Phoenix Suns (14-14) will add another chapter to their stories rivalry tonight on Christmas. Phoenix is 12-8 all-time on Christmas Day, while Dallas is 3-3. Phoenix enters tonight having lost eight of its last 11 games, while the Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Spurs Saturday. The Suns will try to get out of their slump without Bradley Beal (right ankle sprain) and Jusuf Nurkić (personal reasons). However, they will be getting a big defensive piece back in Josh Okogie. For the Mavericks, Kyrie Irving (right heel contusion) will miss his ninth straight game.Â
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Start Time: 8:30 p.m. MST
Location:Â Footprint Center
TV Channel: ESPN
Radio:Â Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, La Mejor 106.5 FM
Stream:Â Suns Live (click for more info)
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 25, 2023
Betting Odds
Line: PHX -4.5
O/U:Â 242.5
Injury Report
Phoenix Suns: Bradley Beal (right ankle sprain) OUT | Jusuf Nurkić (personal reasons) OUT | Nassir Little (left knee soreness) AVAILABLE | Josh Okogie (right hip injury) AVAILABLE | Eric Gordon (right hip soreness) AVAIABLE | Yuta Watanabe (right finger sprain) AVAILABLE | Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) OUT
Dallas Mavericks:Â Kyrie Irving (right heel contusion) OUT | Josh Green (right elbow sprain) | Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) OUT | Dereck Lively II (left ankle sprain) AVAILABLE
Starters
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Drew Eubanks
Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic, Dante Exum, Tim Hardaway Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., Grant Williams
Five Keys to Game for Suns
- Defending Luka Doncic
- Utilizing role players
- Play the full 48 minutes, can’t just be good in spurts
- Get some threes to fall
- Defense leading to offense
Prediction
Suns 117 – Mavericks 114
I think having Josh Okogie back for this type of game where he can defend Luka Doncic will finally get the Suns out of their slump. The inability to stop anyone while on defensive has made the Suns get out of rhythm offensively throughout this rough patch, and Okogie can singlehandedly change that if he does a good job against Doncic tonight. I don’t think this will be a perfect game at all for the Suns, and they will struggle in stretches as fans have become accustomed too. Overall, both teams are very undermanned, but I think the Suns will have the upper hand at the end. It could come down to the very last possession, but I feel like some things that the Suns have said they have learned throughout their last few games will actually come to fruition tonight.
Last Time Out
The short-handed and struggling Phoenix Suns dropped to 14-14 on the season after a 120-105 blowout loss to the Sacramento Kings (17-10) Friday night. Sacramento really controlled this game from start to finish and blew the game open with a 14-0 run early in the third quarter, in which they started a perfect 11-of-11 from the floor. Kevin Durant led phoenix with 28 points and seven rebounds, while Devin Booker had 24 points and seven assists. The Suns did find a bright spot in two-way center Udoka Azubuike, who contributed 11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting night and 11 rebounds off the bench in his first real minutes this season.
The Dallas Mavericks blew out the 4-24 San Antonio Spurs 144-119 Saturday night to move to 17-12 on the year. In only three quarters, Luka Doncic had 39 points, 12 rebounds and ten assists for Dallas. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 23 points and six rebounds in only his second start this season, while Dante Exum contributed 20 points and seven rebounds. in total, seven mavs’ players scored in double figures in this game.
Flashback: Last Meeting (March 5, 2023)
Team Matchup Notes
Here are some stats, notes and everything else to know about the Suns and Mavericks before their first matchup of the season (via Suns)
Each team’s stats (via Suns):
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
