Mavs Lose Season Finale

The Dallas Mavericks season came to an end with a 124-97 loss to the Phoenix Suns.  The Suns used a 15-4 run early in the third quarter to turn a 10-point deficit (56-46) into a one-point advantage (61-60). Phoenix outscored Dallas 39-22 in the third period and took a seven-point lead (83-76) into the fourth.
Mavericks rookie forward Johnathan Motley made his fourth consecutive start (fourth career) and posted a team-high 21 points (9-19 FGs, 3-4 FTs) to go along with six rebounds in 28 minutes. Motley, who scored a career-high 26 points at Detroit on 4/6/18, topped 20 points for the second time in his last three games. Over his final four games (all starts) in 2017-18, he averaged 16.3 points and 7.8 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per game.
Mavericks rookie point guard Kyle Collinsworth made his second career start and registered his first career double-double with 10 points, a career-high 11 rebounds, a career-high (team-high) eight assists and one steal in 44 minutes (previous highs: 10 rebounds vs. Houston 3/11/18; 6 assists at Orlando 4/4/18). Collinsworth, who finished two assists shy of a triple-double, produced his second career double-digit rebounding effort.
Mavericks guard Aaron Harrison made his third start of the season (third career) and played all 48 minutes. Harrison tallied a career-high 16 points, including 10 in the second quarter, to go along four rebounds and two steals. It was his third career double-figure scoring effort (10 at Sacramento 3/27/18, 13 at Orlando 4/4/18).
Mavericks rookie forward Jalen Jones played in his 16th career game (12th with Dallas) and produced 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in 35 minutes off the bench. It was the third-highest scoring outing of his career (he scored 16 points twice).
Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith recorded 14 points, seven rebounds, a season-high-tying four assists and one steal in 41 minutes. He scored in double figures in each of his final four games in 2017-18, after he had just one double-digit scoring effort in his first 17 games of the season (left quadriceps tendinitis limited him to 21 games in 2017-18).
Mavericks rookie forward Maxi Kleber had 10 points (4-7 FGs, 2-4 3FGs) in 15 minutes off the bench. Kleber scored in double figures for the fourth time in Dallas’ final seven games (12th time this year).
Suns rookie forward Alec Peters appeared in his 20th game of the season and netted a career-high (game-high) 36 points (12-20 FGs, 8- 13 3FGs, 4-4 FTs) to go along with a career-high nine rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. His previous high-scoring effort was eight points (twice) and his previous high-rebounding game was five (twice).
Suns forward Dragan Bender notched his third double-double of the season (fourth career) with 15 points (5-6 FGs, 3-4 3FGs, 2-3 FTs), a game-high 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 38 minutes.
Suns rookie guard Shaquille Harrison recorded his first career double-double with career highs of 18 points (8-11 FGs, 2-3 FTs) and 10 assists in 34 minutes (previous highs: 17 points vs. the L.A. Clippers 3/28/18; 6 assists vs. Golden State 4/8/18).
The Mavericks were up five (23-18) with under 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter, but the Suns closed the period on an 11-3 run and led by three (29-26) after one.
Dallas trailed by one (37-36) with 8 minutes to go in the second quarter, but closed the period on a 15-7 run (capped off by an Aaron Harrison 3-pointer) and took a 10-point advantage (54-44) into the locker room at the half. The Mavericks outscored the Suns 28-15 in the second stanza.
J.J. Barea (left rib muscle strain), Harrison Barnes (rest), Seth Curry (left leg surgery), Wesley Matthews (right proximal fibula fracture), Salah Mejri (right knee contusion), Doug McDermott (left elbow contusion), Nerlens Noel (league suspension), Dirk Nowitzki (left ankle surgery) and Dennis Smith Jr. (left knee soreness) were all out for Dallas. Devin Booker (right hand sprain), Marquese Chriss (left SI dysfunction), Troy Daniels (right ankle sprain), Josh Jackson (right quad contusion), Elfrid Payton (left knee tendinopathy), T.J. Warren (left knee inflammation), Alan Williams (right knee soreness) and Brandon Knight (left ACL tear) did not play for Phoenix.
The attendance for the game was 20,041. The Mavericks have now sold out 678 consecutive regular-season home games, which is an NBA-best sellout streak. The streak began on 12/15/01 and Dallas has sold out an additional 67 playoff games during that same stretch.