(Final) GDT: Mavs vs Suns 01/31/16 6:00pm CT

[Underdog]

If the Dallas Mavericks are to improve their position in the Western Conference, they know they'll need to take advantage of an upcoming glut of home games.

They draw another favorable matchup in Sunday night's meeting with a decimated Phoenix Suns team that's yet to win on the road in 2016.

Currently 1 1/2 games behind fifth-place Memphis and five back of the Los Angeles Clippers for fourth, Dallas (27-22) has a chance to gain some ground during an 18-game stretch in which it plays 14 times at American Airlines Center, where it's won nine of 12.

"It's an important stand for us," guard Deron Williams said. "We've only got a couple one-game trips in the next month or so. We've got to make the most of this opportunity."

The Mavericks got the stretch off to a good start with Friday's 91-79 win over lowly Brooklyn, continuing their recent trend of beating the weaker opponents on the schedule. In having split its last six games, Dallas owns victories over the Nets, Minnesota and the Los Angeles Lakers -- teams that are a combined 35-110 -- while losing to contenders Oklahoma City, Houston and Golden State.

Phoenix (14-34) qualifies as a soft spot -- it's a league-worst 2-18 since Dec. 20 and 4-21 on the road. The Suns have lost 13 straight outside Arizona, 12 by double-digits.

While defending teams has been a season-long problem, injuries to Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight have led to issues on the offensive end as well. The Suns are averaging 92.6 points over their last seven games and 18.3 turnovers over the past six.

After committing 23 giveaways in Wednesday's 113-95 loss at Cleveland, Phoenix had 16 in Friday's 102-84 defeat to New York to fall to 0-3 on its four-game trip.

"You've got no chance when you turn the ball over," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "I don't know, when I look at the turnovers they seem like basic plays we don't even complete. If you can't complete the basic plays, you're in for some long nights."

Bledsoe underwent season-ending knee surgery Dec. 29 and Knight will miss a sixth straight with a groin strain, leaving the backcourt in the hands of youngsters Devin Booker and Archie Goodwin, who have provided mixed results.

Booker is averaging 20.0 points over his last six games after recording 21 against the Knicks. Goodwin averaged 23.3 over a three-game stretch capped by an 11-of-15, 26-point effort Tuesday in Philadelphia, but he's gone 6 of 25 from the field while totaling 18 points in the past two.

With Williams, shooting 27.9 percent over his last four, and Wesley Matthews -- averaging 6.7 points in his last three -- both slumping, Chandler Parsons has carried Dallas' offense of late. The forward is averaging 24.3 points over a six-game span and gone 26 of 44 from 3-point range in his last eight.

Parsons posted his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds against Brooklyn, while Zaza Pachulia had 16 points and 12 rebounds after missing the previous three games with a sore Achilles.

"He's a walking double-double," Parsons said. "It's definitely good to have him back and get our normal starting lineup again."

Raymond Felton has totaled 35 points in Dallas' two wins over Phoenix this season, the last a 104-94 victory Dec. 14 that began the Suns' road skid. The Mavericks recorded a 111-95 win in Phoenix in the Oct. 28 opener.

http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?gameId=400828604

[CGM]

Today's, sunset is symbolic in so many ways... the sun sets for the Sun-set who lose by a score identical to the number of miles between Dallas and the Sun, 92,955,807 points... and there is the sunset of this great forum... a bitter sweet day...

Mavs - 125
Sun-set - 88



* I sincerely thank Mr. DJB for making this my weekly stress-relief therapy, a place to read, enjoy, and forget about my job and students for a while.

Thank you all moderators and administrators for keeping this a fun and respectful place to be, no matter the nationality, noobie level, or favorite player (JJB in my particular case, if anyone did not notice before...).

Thank you all forum members for keeping this place CLASSY... I doubt that wherever I end up lurking (more than posting) I will find such an entertaining, creative, and professional group of people, a very cool global community, joined by the same love for a great team called the Dallas Mavs!

Cheers, blessings, and QUE VIVAN LOS MAVS!!!!

[Skywalker]

I summon the skull of Roy Tarpley for some final words of encouragement

[Vinsanity]

The last GDT

Forum needs to go out with a bang with a big Mavs win. Dirk will drop 25+, calling it!

[Melonhead]

Bittersweet. CGM posts can't go on on twitter. Not the same affect.

Whoever runs dallas-mavs on twitter, maybe copy and paste everyone's handle there for the convenience in case there's a chamge of heart by some later down the road.

Let's go mavs. Want to see Wes do work offensively

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

Whoever runs dallas-mavs on twitter, maybe copy and paste everyone's handle there for the convenience in case there's a chamge of heart by some later down the road.

Sike mostly runs that account, but I've got all of that info backed up in a document.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Sike mostly runs that account, but I've got all of that info backed up in a document.

Oh okay so it's saved somewhere good to know in case people change their mind

[EricaLubarsky]

Mavs by 40
Tarpley lends his mojo
Eddie Najera dresses and has a quadruple double
We all end the game so happy we don't mind our site is being flushed down the toilet

[EricaLubarsky]

Dirk sitting

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Dirk sitting

Not quite the farewell we were looking forward to, but it makes good basketball sense...

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Dirk sitting

Doesn't he know this is the last day this forum will be around?!

[Thebo]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Doesn't he know this is the last day this forum will be around?!

He knows. That's why he's sitting. Don't be surprised if some "random" troll shows up and during the game Dirk looks only at his phone.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Doesn't he know this is the last day this forum will be around?!

Dirk will be doing all the color commentary instead, just for DM.com

[Skywalker]

Suns have been rolling with Tyson and Len to start games. I wonder if we will go small or try to match them size wise

[Underdog]

@bobbykaralla: Chandler Parsons is starting at the 4 tonight. Raymond Felton is in for Dirk Nowitzki.

[Skywalker]

Tyson Chandler on Zaza Pachulia, his replacement as the Mavs' starting center: "I love Zaza. I think Zaza his entire career has been a great center. Now he's in a situation where he's around vets and a great coaching staff to where you can just go out there and do your job. It's funny. Last year when I was here, I told them, You need to go get Zaza so we can have a one-two punch, so he can be my backup.'" With a laugh, Chandler added, "You know how that s--- goes." - Tim MacMahon

[Skywalker]

link: http://www.101livesportsvideos.com/v...s-mavericks-2/

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Skywalker

Tyson Chandler on Zaza Pachulia, his replacement as the Mavs' starting center: "I love Zaza. I think Zaza his entire career has been a great center. Now he's in a situation where he's around vets and a great coaching staff to where you can just go out there and do your job. It's funny. Last year when I was here, I told them, You need to go get Zaza so we can have a one-two punch, so he can be my backup.'" With a laugh, Chandler added, "You know how that s--- goes." - Tim MacMahon

Lol, I just posted that in the Zaza thread... Ty and Zaza are easily 2 of my favorite Mavs centers ever.

[Underdog]

@tim_cato: Big ovation for Tyson Chandler when announced in the starting five. Didn't get one last trip to Dallas because he came off the bench.

[Underdog]

Zaza with the steal and go-ahead basket... Even made a sweet little pass fake.

[yahyes]

Go Mavs for the last time on here

[Underdog]

Sloppy lineup.

[Bryan_Wilson]

Clearly the Mavs are just depressed that the site is closing. Can't blame them.

[Underdog]

Barea just barely got that one in there... Sly!

[DGM]

Zaza has hands like Jason Kidd. The ball seems to stick to them when he grabs it.

[Cerberus]

So this is the last time huh? LET'S GO MAVS!!!

[Underdog]

Holy crap, Parsons!

[Underdog]

Holy balls, D-Willy...

[Bryan_Wilson]

Dwill needed a game like this, he's been in a bad way recently.

[Underdog]

Not the worst half of basketball, considering Dirk is sidelined... Let's not blow Q3.

[DGM]

I would have liked to have heard that conversation between Hornacek and Dwill.

[Underdog]

Zaza has such a light touch.

[yahyes]

Team needs to play with urgency

[TheSportyChannel]

This is how Mavs basketball will be like once Dirk retires. Barely competing against the worst teams of the west like the Suns. No one on the mavs other than Dirk is a franchise player.

Suns 69 Mavs 68 end of the 3rd quarter.

[EricaLubarsky]

Man, those third quarters

[EricaLubarsky]

4th quarter is going to be a bloodbath

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Not the worst half of basketball, considering Dirk is sidelined... Let's not blow Q3.

Sigh.

[TheSportyChannel]

lol Parsons with the wide open layup miss. 73-68 Suns

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by TheSportyChannel

This is how Mavs basketball will be like once Dirk retires. Barely competing against the worst teams of the west like the Suns. No one on the mavs other than Dirk is a franchise player.

Suns 69 Mavs 68 end of the 3rd quarter.

Get that crap out of here tonight

[10AMGareDuNord]

Charlie V with a nice -13 in 10 minutes. I know Dirk is out, but RC has to stop playing this guy. It sucks, because Powell has massively regressed, but I'd rather see him out there than Charlie V. He just kills the team on both ends every second he's on the floor.