AP

Ayton, Booker lead top-seeded Suns past Mavericks 121-114

May 2, 2022, 9:37 AM | Updated: 10:31 pm

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) celebrates a score against the Dallas Mavericks during the firs...

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) celebrates a score against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

(AP Photo/Matt York)


              Phoenix Suns center JaVale McGee (00) pushes past Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, left, for a loose ball during the second half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) shoots over Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) during the second half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) hits the court after scoring against the Phoenix Suns during the second half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, left, argues a call during the second half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, center, is pressured by Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and center Deandre Ayton (22) as he drives to the basket during the first half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) is helped by teammates after he was knocked to the floor during the first half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) drives to the basket against Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson (23) during the first half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives around Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges (25) during the first half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
            
              Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) celebrates a score against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of Game 1 in the second round of the NBA Western Conference playoff series Monday, May 2, 2022, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

PHOENIX (AP) — After a brief hiatus, the Phoenix Suns that bulldozed through the regular-season schedule made an appearance on Monday night.

Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Devin Booker added 23 and the top-seeded Suns rolled to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

The Suns never trailed, jumping to a 9-0 lead in the opening minutes and staying on the gas until the final minutes. They shot 50.5% from the field, won the rebounding edge 51-36 and beat the Mavericks for the 10th straight time, counting regular season games.

Phoenix had a few hiccups late — making the final score a little closer than it should have been — but the Suns looked much more like the team that set a franchise record with 64 wins during the season.

“We’ll take the win,” Suns point guard Chris Paul said. “It’s not always going to be pretty. We played well most of the game. We’ll look at the film tomorrow and see what we need to do differently for Game 2.”

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. It’s the first time Dallas has advanced to the postseason’s second round in Doncic’s four-year NBA career.

Doncic and Maxi Kleber looked ready for the challenge but the rest of the Mavs didn’t do much until it was too late. Kleber finished with 19 points.

“I thought Maxi and Luka in that first half kept us afloat,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We could have easily been down 39 at halftime but Maxi and LD were good. LD was good in the second half, too.

“We’ve just got to get someone to join the party.”

Game 2 is on Wednesday in Phoenix.

Booker missed three games during Phoenix’s tougher-than-expected first-round win over the New Orleans Pelicans because of a strained right hamstring. He returned for the closeout Game 6 and scored 13 points, but looked a little more cautious than usual in his effort to stay healthy.

That hesitancy was gone in the first quarter on Monday: Booker scored 13 points on 4 of 8 shooting and added six rebounds and four assists.

Ayton dominated in the paint and mid-range, hitting his usual array of turnaround jumpers, runners and dunks. The 6-foot-11 center shot 12 of 20 from the field. Paul added 19 points and Cam Johnson had 17 off the bench.

“I liked the fact that we weren’t settling for 3s tonight,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “A lot of guys were attacking the paint, we were getting floaters and rim shots.”

All five Suns starters scored in double figures.

The Suns’ opening salvo was highlighted by a Jae Crowder 3-pointer and Booker’s lob pass to Mikal Bridges for a dunk. Phoenix extended its lead to 18-6 midway through the first quarter before a discombobulated Dallas called timeout.

The Mavericks stayed in the game for a while thanks to Doncic and Kleber, who hit his first four 3-pointers. The pair helped Dallas pull within 51-47 midway through the second but the Suns finished the half with another run, going into the break with a 69-56 lead.

OUCH

Doncic was slow to get up in the second quarter after taking a knee to the groin from Jae Crowder, who was shooting a 3-pointer and called for the offensive foul.

After an official review, Crowder’s foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.

7-FOOT FUN

Suns backup center JaVale McGee brought the crowd to its feet early in the fourth quarter with a rare defensive play on the perimeter.

He stole the ball from Doncic and then dribbled the length of the floor, finishing with a powerful dunk to put the Suns up 21 points.

TIP-INS

Mavericks: Doncic scored 14 points in the first quarter on 5 of 9 shooting. … Kleber hit 5 of 6 3-pointers in the first half and had 16 points before the break. … Kleber took a scary fall in the fourth quarter after being bumped by JaVale McGee while finishing a dunk. Kleber landed on his upper back and was shaken up for a few seconds before taking his free throw.

Suns: Crowder hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter then turned and started celebrating with former Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was sitting courtside. Fitzgerald is a part-owner of the franchise. … It was the 30th consecutive sellout at the Footprint Center, dating back to the regular season. … Improved to 51-0 this season when leading after three quarters, including a 4-0 mark in the playoffs.

___

More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Ayton, Booker lead top-seeded Suns past Mavericks 121-114