3 Duds, 2 studs from Mavericks' sloppy first loss against Suns

1. Dud - Mavericks Bench

One major difference between the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns on Saturday was their bench production. The Suns' bench combined to score 23 points, as Monte Morris and Royce O'Neale combined for 15 points.

Dallas on the other hand struggled to demonstrate that same intensity. The team combined for just nine points off the bench. Dereck Lively II was the team's leader off the bench with five points. The Mavs' big also had 11 rebounds.

Everyone else on the failed to provide support for Dallas. Jaden Hardy missed all four of his field goal attempts and went 0-3 from the 3-point line. Quentin Grimes too struggled, as he failed to attempt a shot.

Naji Marshall too was no help converting just one of his five shooting attempts.

This was a different story from Thursday when Hardy and Lively II combined for 26 points. Hardy had shot 60 percent from long range, a different story from Saturday.

The Mavs' bench and role players must provide support for Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson if they hope to bounce back. The Dallas trio did their part in combining for 81 points.

Dallas plays four of their next five games at home, as they look to get back in the winning column. This will give them a great chance to build momentum and chemistry, as some of the new faces are struggling to make an impact over the first two games.

For the latest news and updates on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks this season, stay tuned.