Dallas Mavericks shut down Devin Booker in Game 6: Can they replicate it in Game 7?

The Dallas Mavericks dominated the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 to force a decisive game on Sunday. They won every quarter and got a historic performance from superstar Luka Doncic, but it was their defense that ruled the day for Dallas.

The Suns scored a season-low 86 points in Game 6, and it was the third straight contest in Dallas where the Mavericks dominated Phoenix with defense. The team with the best record in the NBA has scored just 93.7 points per game on the road in this series. Chris Paul has been a virtual non-factor in the last four games, and the Mavs even shut down Suns star Devin Booker in Game 6.

How did they slow down the three-time All-Star and limit the Suns to a season-low scoring total? Is that performance replicable in Sunday’s Game 7? Here is a closer look at what Dallas is doing and how the Suns might adjust in the decisive contest.

Dallas Mavericks shut down Devin Booker in Game 6: Can they repeat it in Game 7?

Dallas has slowed down CP3 by forcing him to defend on the other end and have kept him from getting to his spots. It has not been so easy against Devin Booker.

In the first five games of this series, Book averaged 26.8 points, 5.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds on 47.9 percent shooting from the field. The Suns forced Luka Doncic to defend pick and rolls, and Booker was exploiting his drop coverage.

In Game 6, Booker had 19 points on six of 17 shooting from the field to go along with eight rebounds, three assists, and a game-high eight turnovers. The Dallas Mavericks made some smart adjustments to slow down the 6’5 guard, and it was a key piece of their Game 6 victory.