Ranking the Mavericks' potential playoff opponents from piece of cake to nightmare

8. Phoenix Suns

Ever since the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks-Phoenix Suns rivalry has been the best rivalry in the NBA. From scuffles, to smack talk, to close games, the Mavs and Suns have seen it all.

Despite having three stars in Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant, Phoenix shouldn't scare Mavs fans as much as some of these other teams would, and their depth is not great. The Suns recently lost to the San Antonio Spurs, the bottom team in the Western Conference, and their identity is in question right now.

This isn't to say that the Suns would be an easy matchup, but the play of Dallas' role players far outweighs the play of Phoenix's role players. The Mavs have Derrick Jones Jr. and P.J. Washington to throw at two of Phoenix's star players, and the Mavs have the best player in this potential game in Luka Doncic.

Doncic's individual rivalry with Booker is one of the most fun player rivalries in the NBA, and seeing Dallas beat the Suns again in the playoffs is something everyone wants to see. Doncic always seems to take his game to the next level against the Suns, and he is an excellent player in the playoffs.

Phoenix's star power could come out in the playoffs, but the Mavs' play lately shouldn't be taken lightly.