Suns Stun Mavericks With First Half Surge After Recent Shooting Struggles

The Suns erupted with a near-flawless first half against Dallas, offering a sharp response to their recent shooting woes.

Suns Snap Out of Slump with First-Half Surge Against Mavericks

PHOENIX - After a stretch of cold shooting and offensive inconsistency, the Phoenix Suns finally found their rhythm-and they found it fast. Coming off a rough loss to the 76ers where they shot under 40% from the field for the second time in four games, the Suns responded with a blistering first half against the Dallas Mavericks. For a team that’s been searching for offensive flow, this was the kind of bounce-back performance that resets the tone.

Let’s start with Dillon Brooks, who came out firing. The veteran forward wasted no time heating up, dropping 15 points in the opening quarter on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting.

He’s been in a groove lately, and Tuesday night was no exception. Brooks set the tone early, scoring eight of Phoenix’s first 13 points and helping the Suns build an early double-digit lead.

Jalen Green, in just his second game back, looked more comfortable and confident. He chipped in nine points and a pair of assists in the first half, showing flashes of the dynamic playmaking that makes him such a key piece for this team. His ability to create off the dribble and find teammates in stride gave the Suns another layer offensively.

Meanwhile, Dallas struggled to match Phoenix’s energy and execution early. The Mavericks tried to exploit Collin Gillespie defensively by going at him with P.J.

Washington in the post. But Gillespie held his ground, and Dallas didn’t score its first field goal until midway through the first quarter.

When that approach stalled, the Mavs looked to the perimeter-but that didn’t go much better. They went 0-for-9 from deep in the first quarter, including multiple airballs, and looked completely out of sync.

Devin Booker, who had a rough shooting night last game, came out with purpose. He knocked down his first two attempts from beyond the arc, helping Phoenix shake off the memory of Saturday’s 18 missed threes. With Booker and Brooks both clicking, the Suns shot 57.1% in the first quarter and led 36-17 after 12 minutes-an emphatic response to their recent struggles.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The Suns briefly let Dallas back in with some sloppy turnovers and lapses in transition defense.

Three of the Mavs’ first four field goals came off fast breaks, fueled by Phoenix’s miscues. Head coach Jordan Ott called timeout to settle things down, and once again, Brooks took over.

He scored seven of the Suns’ next nine points, pushing his first-quarter total to 15 before taking a seat with two minutes left.

That’s when Jalen Green stepped in and took the reins. The 23-year-old attacked from all angles-mid-range pull-ups, drives to the rim, and some slick passes that got the crowd buzzing. For a team that’s been searching for offensive rhythm, Green’s energy was a welcome sight.

The second quarter was more of the same: hustle, execution, and a deep bench making its mark. Gillespie led a second-unit surge that opened the frame with an 11-2 run, built on energy plays like long rebounds and sharp backdoor cuts. Dallas couldn’t keep up, and Phoenix pushed the lead to 27 in just under 15 minutes of game time.

The Suns’ bench poured in 25 first-half points-just eight shy of their full-game average-and dominated the hustle stats. Eleven offensive rebounds turned into 14 second-chance points, a testament to the kind of effort that had been missing during their recent skid.

At one point, the lead ballooned to 31. But Dallas wasn’t done.

Rookie Cooper Flagg and forward Naji Marshall sparked a much-needed surge, combining for 27 points in the second quarter. Flagg used his athleticism to get to the rim, while Marshall’s physicality and speed created matchup problems.

Daniel Gafford added some muscle in the paint with back-to-back blocks that led to easy transition buckets. That trio fueled an 18-1 Mavericks run that suddenly made things interesting.

Phoenix got a timely three from Royce O’Neale to stop the bleeding just before halftime, but the lead had been trimmed to 17. After a dominant opening half, the Suns had to regroup and prepare for a Dallas squad that had finally found its footing.

Still, this was the first-half performance Phoenix needed. After struggling to find their shot and rhythm in recent games, they came out aggressive, efficient, and energized.

The offense clicked, the bench stepped up, and the stars delivered. Now, the question is whether they can carry that momentum into the second half-and beyond.