LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) Devin Booker scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns rolled past the Dallas Mavericks 128-102 on Thursday to keep their playoff hopes alive and finish as the only unbeaten team in the restart.
Dario Saric scored 16 points and Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson each added 15 for the Suns. They will qualify for the play-in series that starts Saturday if Portland loses to Brooklyn later Thursday.
Dallas was already locked into a playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, so the starters played limited minutes. Luka Doncic, who had averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11.3 assists in the bubble, finished with 18 points in just over 13 minutes. Boban Marjanovic, Dallas’ 7-foot-4 reserve center, had 18 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.
Phoenix shot 66% in the first half to take a 76-57 lead. Booker scored 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting before the break. Their biggest lead was 28 points.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: F/C Kristaps Porzingis sat out with a left heel injury. … Marjanovic got his fifth start of the season. … Seth Curry had missed three of the previous five games with right leg soreness. He finished with eight points in just over 20 minutes of action.
Suns: Beat the Mavericks 117-115 in the bubble on August 2. … Shot at least 50 percent in each of the first three quarters. … Committed just six turnovers. … Ricky Rubio had 12 assists. … Mikal Bridges scored 14 points.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: Play the Los Angeles Clippers next week in the playoffs.
Suns: Either season over or will be in a play-in game against Memphis on Saturday. —
