For their first game of the season, the Phoenix Suns came from afar to beat the Dallas Mavericks, 107-105. A victory that will not erase the defeat suffered in Game 7 last season, but which is still good in the heads of the side of Arizona.
THE STATS OF DEVIN BOOKER AND LUKA DONCIC, IT’S HERE, DO NOT CLICK TO SEE THOSE OF CHRIS PAUL
We thought we were going to relive the nightmare of May at the Footprint Center. But if, you know, the humiliation suffered by the Suns once morest the Mavs, a loss of 33 points which should have been 50 and an early elimination for the team with the best record in the regular season. You give back? Because it started (almost) the same way. A Luka Dončić on fire, author of 20 points in the first two quarters (he will finish with 37 pawns), and the Mavs who lead 62 to 45 at halftime. Well, we are not on the 57-27 of a few months ago but still, we feared that the demons would reappear in the heads of Chris Paul and Devin Booker.
Little salsa lesson with Luka Doncic.pic.twitter.com/QnSInir8ZZ
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) October 20, 2022
But here this time, the Suns have achieved something unprecedented for them: they have changed their mentality, shown that they were not going to let themselves be walked on like that. And it was seen from the return of the locker room, with a 14-2 of the families to almost catch up with all that and put the Mavs under pressure. Behind, the boss of this franchise, the real one, not the one who chokes since the beginning of his career, took things in hand. Devin Booker, it’s 28 points, 4 rebounds and 9 assists, a huge take on responsibility and a comeback continued in the fourth quarter. Well, if we were still wondering, the redemption of the Phoenix Suns will go through the kid who once scored 70 points in one game, not the veteran who released us a 6/3/9 in 31 minutes tonight (yes, we are talking regarding Chris Paul).
And then when Luka showed his fangs, he brought his team tied 30 seconds from the end on a penetration and a and 1 converted, the Suns have dug up an unexpected hero: Damion Lee, only 9 points so far, found himself having to take the winning shot following a big Mavs defense. He did not tremble, in a frankly difficult position. Luka Dončić did try a hail mary which he has the secret to pass in front of, but it is missed this time. The Suns therefore partly wash away the affront they suffered last May. Only partly, because it will take a lot more than a regular season game to forget the historic demolition they received in a Game 7. Finally all the same, it feels good for the head.
DAMION LEE FOR THE WIN ???? pic.twitter.com/Ej6aPEvEj4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 20, 2022
The Phoenix Suns therefore start their season well, with a small revenge once morest the Mavericks of a great Luka Dončić. It’s hard to really know what the year will look like in Arizona, but the Cactus have at least proven that the ghosts of the past are (partly) behind them. We reassure ourselves as best we can.
