3 takeaways from Dallas Mavericks Game 3 playoff win over Suns

The Dallas Mavericks fell behind early in Game 3, but they quickly grabbed the lead and controlled the rest of the contest for a 103-94 win over the Phoenix Suns. After losing two in Phoenix, the Mavs were facing a must-win as the series shifted back to Dallas, and they responded on Friday night.

Superstar Luka Doncic scored 80 points in the first two games combined, but the Mavericks did not give him enough help. That was far from the issue in Game 3 as Dallas dominated to get back into the series. They had five players score 14 or more points on their way to a win.

Fans saw a different game on Friday night. The Mavericks upped their defensive intensity, and they forced a ton of switches on offense to handle Phoenix. The Suns still hold a 2-1 edge in the series, but it feels like Dallas figured some things out ahead of Game 3.

3 takeaways from Dallas Mavericks Game 3 playoff win over Suns

Mavs head coach Jason Kidd made the right adjustments for Game 3. He had Frank Ntilikina replace Josh Green in the rotation, increased the team’s aggressiveness without fouling, and got Luka some help on Friday night. It was an impressive performance by the Mavericks against the best team in the league.

Luka dealt with foul trouble in the third and fourth quarters, which set up the Suns to make a run. Phoenix likely would have lost by more if Doncic had not picked up some ticky-tacky fouls in the second half. 

It was just one victory, but here is a look at three takeaways that could play a role moving forward in this series for the Dallas Mavericks as they look to knock off the top-seeded Suns. .