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sports Monday 6 March 2023
Durant tiebreaker lifts Suns over Mavs in showcase of stars

By SCHUYLER DIXON West semifinals, when Don- was talking to an official,
AP Sports Writer cic and the Mavs blew out the Phoenix star believed
DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Du- Booker, Chris Paul and the Doncic said something first
rant's tiebreaker jumper Suns in Game 7 in Phoenix. with his expletive-laced
was like so many before — A photo of a goofy-grinning message.
right on target in the clos- Doncic looking at Booker "You guys say you don't
ing seconds. went viral after that series. want everybody to be
Luka Doncic's potential ty- The last regular-season friendly-friendly, there you
ing floater moments later meeting of 2022-23 brought go," Booker said. "We got
in front of the rim was un- more tension. some smoke."
like most of his — spinning "I loved it," said Hardaway, Paul scored eight of his 11
around and out. who scored 18 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter
What happened next points in the first half and for one of several tiebreak-
was familiar — a little bad was 6 of 8 on 3-pointers. "I ing or go-ahead buckets
blood from last season's know 77 isn't going to back for both teams.
playoff series spilling, with Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (2) and Phoenix Suns for- down from anybody. It was Phoenix two-way player Ish
Doncic and Devin Booker ward Kevin Durant (35) walk down the court during the second bound to happen at some Wainwright, who was a role
nose-to-nose before get- half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Dal- point, them coming face player 100 miles (160 km)
ting double technicals. las. Associated Press to face. Just happy it hap- down the road from Dallas
Durant scored 37 points, in- pened here at home." at Baylor before a brief stint
cluding the go-ahead shot, Booker said he was talking as a tight end for the Bears,
to lift the Phoenix Suns to suspension. open below top-seeded to the official, but Doncic went 4 for 5 from 3-point
a 130-126 victory over the The teams finished tied 2-2 Denver. was skeptical. range in the second half for
Dallas Mavericks on Sun- in the season series, with The bunched-up stand- "Based on the words, I don't 12 points. The last of those
day in a thrilling showcase playoff seedings in the ings could mean an early think so," Doncic said. 3s put the Suns up two with
of stars for both teams. Western Conference wide rematch from last season's Because Booker said he 2:07 remaining.q
The first meeting between
Durant and Dallas' Ky-
rie Irving since they were
traded by Brooklyn before
the deadline last month
was even at 126-all when
Durant pulled up over Tim
Hardaway Jr. and Irving,
who scrambled over for
the double team when Du-
rant went to his left.
Too late.
"Nobody's ever going to
retreat when they guard
me," Durant said. "So some-
times I've got to veer off
instead of straight-line driv-
ing it. I felt like I had a good
handle on the ball. Once I
had it on my hip I felt like
I was in good position to
stop on a dime."
Irving scored 30 points
exactly four years to the
day since the last time he
faced Durant, when his
Boston Celtics blew out Du-
rant and his Golden State
Warriors 128-95.
Doncic had 34 points and
nine rebounds before the
point-blank shot that could
have tied it. He grabbed
Durant for a foul after the
rebound with 3.5 seconds
remaining.
After the foul, Doncic and
Booker, who scored 36
points, pushed and jawed
at each other as officials
and team personnel sepa-
rated them before Durant's
two clinching free throws.
It was the 14th technical of
the season for Doncic, two
away from a one-game