Mavs Game Observations: Game 31 @ Suns

Standing up to the bully, finding new ways to win

Photo by Chris Coduto / Getty Images

The Mavericks have been pushed around by bruising bigs all season, but last night, it was clear they'd had enough. When Jusuf Nurkić attempted to repeat the bullying tactics he’d employed in their previous two matchups this season, with an elbow to Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington were quick to step in for their teammate.

Things escalated when Nurkić slapped Marshall, prompting Naji to respond with a punch. The result? Ejections for all three—Nurkić, Marshall, and Washington. But the Mavericks' duo made their statement loud and clear: this team will not be pushed around anymore. In the summer, I wrote this about the Mavericks' enforcer duo in my Naji Marshall 2024-25 Player Card:

Naji Marshall 2024-25 Player Card

The Mavericks managed to pull out a gritty 98-89 win over the Suns. They might miss Naji Marshall for a couple of games because of the suspension, but this game showed how connected and resilient they are once again—something that feels well worth the fines, which Kyrie Irving volunteered to cover for his teammates.

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Today’s notes:

1. New game, new ways to win

2. New game, new heroes

3. Defensive gameplan

4. Defensive playmaking (🎞VIDEO)

5. Offensive and turnover struggles continue (🎞VIDEO)

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1-New game, new ways to win

I remember Jason Kidd saying, "We have multiple teams" earlier in the season, and last night was another testament to that, to the team's depth and resiliency. Down two starters in Luka Dončić and Dereck Lively II, and losing two more for most of the second half after the ejections, the Mavericks still found a way to win.

Last night, the team that had been scorching the NBA, winning 14 of their previous 18 games while averaging 126 points in those victories, transformed into the 2000s version of the Detroit Pistons, holding the Suns to just 89 points.

Even more impressive is that the Mavericks accomplished this despite Kevin Durant's extremely efficient 35 points and the Suns shooting 37 percent from three. The Mavericks executed a great game plan (see third observation), competed with intensity, and had multiple players step up with key defensive plays (more on that in my fourth note). This collective effort limited the Suns to just 40 percent shooting inside the three-point line and 44 percent in the paint.

2-New game, new heroes

Without Dončić and Lively, without Washington's and Marshall's scoring contributions, and with Irving struggling after a hot start, several players who have faced recent criticism stepped up.

Even before the ejection, Daniel Gafford was outplaying Nurkić, scoring 10 of his 16 points in the first half while adding two blocks. After a 0-of-7, two-point performance on Christmas, Spencer Dinwiddie bounced back with 15 points, providing much-needed secondary ball handling alongside Irving. Klay Thompson, as predicted in my 30-Game Check, missed Dončić’s playmaking to create open looks for him. However, Thompson stepped up big in the fourth quarter, scoring 7 of his 11 points, including a tough, end-of-clock isolation jumper over Bradley Beal with 2:24 remaining that kept the Mavericks at a safe distance.

But the biggest and most unexpected hero of the night was Maxi Kleber. The German big man, who had been struggling and seemed to have lost all confidence in his shot, scored a season-high 15 points—nearly matching the 33 points he had totaled over his previous 18 games this season. Like Thompson, Kleber came up big in the closing moments. With four minutes to go, he delivered a key sequence, first hitting a one-legged, end-of-clock runner from the free-throw line, then stealing an entry pass intended for Durant on the defensive end. Kleber capped it off by drawing a foul in transition off the steal and sinking both free throws.

3-Defensive game plan

The Mavericks began the game with a proactive defensive game plan, sending two defenders at Kevin Durant and doubling him right from the start. The approach limited Durant to just 13 points in the first half. The strategy focused on forcing KD to pass and challenging the rest of the Suns to prove they could beat the Mavericks in 4-on-3 situations.