Kevin Durant’s 31 points drove the Phoenix Suns to a 114-102 win in their home opener against the Dallas Mavericks (1-1) on Saturday.
Devin Booker had 21 points, the Suns’ starting big Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and rookie Ryan Dunn — who started for the injured Bradley Beal — produced 13 points including three makes from deep.
Dallas All-Star Luka Doncic was virtually unstoppable as he scored 40 to go with 10 rebounds, and his backcourt mate Kyrie Irving had 22 points plus a game-high three steals.
Phoenix controlled the game, taking a 22-19 lead on a Royce O’Neale 3-pointer and never looking back. The biggest lead was 15 shortly after seven minutes left to play, and the Suns outpaced the Mavericks 18-4 on fast-break points.
The Suns play their next game at home — and second matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers — on Monday at 7 p.m.
Suns extend lead, Mavericks’ Doncic still hot in 3rd quarter
Phoenix has a 91-80 lead after three quarters, maintaining its lead over Dallas since the first quarter.
Kevin Durant has 20 points, Jusuf Nurkic produced 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds and Devin Booker has 14 points.
Luka Doncic (game-high 33 points, 5-of-11 from 3) has been tough to stop per usual despite the Suns’ surge.
Royce O’Neale hit a runner to give the Suns their 91-80 lead and then sprinted back for a chase-down block on Jaden Hardy as the quarter ended.
Durant, Suns surge in 2nd quarter
Phoenix remained ahead of Dallas in the second period and extended its lead to 63-55 to close the first half.
Kevin Durant has the Suns’ team-high 15 points, Jusuf Nurkic has 14 and Devin Booker scored eight.
The Mavericks’ Doncic leads all scorers with 23 and Irving has 12.
The Suns started the second quarter on a 16-6 run, which extended their lead to 12 shortly after the eight-minute mark. Durant scored seven points during that surge, and Ryan Dunn (five points) had a booming one-handed putback dunk off his vertical leap from a Durant-missed 3 during that stretch to wow the crowd.
Nurkic scored 12 consecutive Suns points, a string ended when Booker buried a 3 to make the score 63-53.
Phoenix eventually reached its biggest lead of 13 twice before the quarter ended. After a meager 2-of-11 shooting from deep in the first, the Maverick hit 6-for-11 in the second quarter.
The Suns are 9-for-21 from beyond the arc.
Suns lead Doncic, Mavs after tight 1st quarter
Phoenix is barely ahead of the Luka Doncic-led Dallas, 28-26, entering the second period.
The Suns’ top scorers are Kevin Durant and Tyus Jones, who have six points each. Doncic leads all scorers with 13 points to go with four rebounds and a block.
Phoenix and Dallas had a close margin throughout with their biggest leads five each.
The Suns were 5-for-12 from 3-point range while the Mavs were only 2-for-11.
Suns honor late legend McCoy
Not having Al McCoy at Footprint Center this season will feel different to many longtime Suns fans. So the Suns made his spirit felt in a moment of silence before the tipoff.
McCoy, the team’s 51-year radio play-by-play announcer, died at age 91 on Sept. 21, one year after he retired from broadcasting in 2023. He owns the longest tenure for any radio broadcaster for one team in NBA history.
Suns rookie Dunn starting in Beal’s absence
Rookie wing Ryan Dunn replaced Bradley Beal (right elbow soreness) in the Suns’ starting lineup. Beal’s been ruled out, after Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said in his pregame media availability that he would be a game-time decision. The other Phoenix starters are Tyus Jones, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic.
The Mavericks started Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.
Beal questionable for Suns
Bradley Beal (right elbow soreness), one-third of Phoenix’s Big 3 with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, is listed as questionable. Beal was listed as probable entering Friday at the Lakers, was made active and finished with 15 points, a game-high nine assists, two steals and one block.
Grayson Allen (personal) is questionable and Josh Okogie (right hamstring strain) is out.
The Mavericks’ injury report has forward Dante Exum (right wrist surgery), Brandon Williams (G League assignment, two-way) and Kessler Edwards (G League assignment, two-way) listed out.
