Dallas, TX

How Suns Can Rebound vs Mavericks

Published

1 year ago

October 26, 2024

PHOENIX — The NBA season is officially underway – and the Phoenix Suns are competing the second half of a back-to-back in the 2024-25 home debut against a familiar rival in the Dallas Mavericks.

The Suns are coming off of a disappointing second half collapse against the Los Angeles Lakers last night and have been rewarded with the 2024 Western Conference champions tonight.

The Mavericks will undoubtedly pose a substantial challenge – but victory is still attainable, especially if Phoenix can capitalize on even two of the three keys to the game that we will explore below.

This is an instance where Phoenix almost certainly has to outdo Dallas at their own game in order to come out on top after 48 minutes compared to attemtping to contrast.

Dallas got 102 shots up – including 44 three-point looks – in their victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

The trio of Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and Klay Thompson accounted for 28 of those 44 attempts – the three are sure to continue the aggressive approach tonight against a squad that has shown to be susceptible in certain moments during games to this point.

Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal must attempt around 25 threes between the three of them. Royce O’Neale, Tyus Jones, and Grayson Allen (if he plays) must supplement the star-studded trio.

While the Suns’ offense appears to be much more connected and flows more naturally this season, there have been points in games where turnovers run abound. The Suns have to run an intentional, fast-paced attack without steering into reckless tonight.

The Suns were around the middle of the pack in many basic rebounding stats and advanced metrics last season.

They have been near the bottom through two games this year – ranking 29th in offensive rebound % and 27th in second-chance points per John Voita of Bright Side of the Sun.

The frontcourt trio of Jusuf Nurkic, Mason Plumlee, and Oso Ighodaro simply haven’t been good enough on that front thus far. They have to be tonight when facing Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford.

The supplementary team rebounding simply has to be better as well – Kevin Durant, Royce O’Neale, and even Ryan Dunn have been decent enough, but others need to stand out in this game as well in an effort to prevent second-chance opportunities from Dallas while also looking to generate those same chances for themselves.

The UVA product clearly had some anxious moments in his league debut on Wednesday, but managed to settle in last night in only 14 minutes.

Dunn posted 9 points on 3-for-5 from behind the arc while posting a +8 and playing fearless defense against a revamped Lakers’ offense.

Dunn has to factor into the rotation in an even more sizable role tonight – especially with the Doncic/Irving dynamic in play.

Dunn’s shocking ability to space the floor has made playing him all the more palpable when combined with his dynamic athleticism, relentless POA attacking, off-ball anticipation, and ability to create turnovers.

Dunn won’t be afraid to take on the Doncic assignment tonight – and it’s very possible that Phoenix will need him to do just that.

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Dallas, TX

Letters to the Editor – Three Cheers for a Plano fire station, Dallas Parks & Rec, voting

Published

12 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Letters to the Editor – Three Cheers for a Plano fire station, Dallas Parks & Rec, voting

1 Plano No. 5 fire station paramedics — I thank God for the paramedics at Plano No. 5 fire station. On Sunday after services, my wife of 46 years had a severe heart attack. The 911 call brought six great men who quickly got my wife to the excellent Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital and saved her life.

I am so grateful to not only live here in Plano, but that the Lord is not done with Donna yet.

Anton Skell, Plano

2 Dallas Park and Recreation teams — On behalf of all the bikers, joggers and walkers along the White Rock Creek trail, a special thanks to the Dallas Park and Recreation teams that clean all the goo and muck off the trail after a heavy rain.

This is particularly an issue at the White Rock Creek and Cottonwood Creek low water crossing as mud several inches thick accumulates along about a foot-long swath of the trial, making it incredibly slippery and unsafe.

However, like clockwork, we can count on a team from Park and Rec with their front-end loader, shovels and squeegees to clear the path within 24 hours or so. Appreciate all the work!

Ron Carey, North Dallas

3 DMN voting recommendations — Thank you for the time and energy that you spend vetting the candidates and making your recommendations. I take your thoughts seriously and am grateful for the information you provide.

I hope you continue to provide this valuable service. It’s needed and appreciated.

Alice Gant Coder, Dallas

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here.

If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com

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Dallas, TX

Downtown Dallas Inc. backs relocating aging City Hall, redevelopment of site

Published

24 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Downtown Dallas Inc. backs relocating aging City Hall, redevelopment of site

Downtown Dallas Inc. announced Friday that it backs the potential relocation of City Hall and redevelopment of that site, adding support to a high-stakes decision about the city’s urban core.

“DDI believes this is a generational opportunity to modernize and elevate how Dallas delivers public services,” said its president and CEO, Jennifer Scripps. “But we must be equally clear: Any future City Hall belongs within the highway loop in downtown.”

She said the current building “is no longer serving its intended purpose,” adding that key government functions are “inefficient — truly stymied in that space.”

Jennifer Scripps, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc., delivers opening comments... — Jennifer Scripps, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc., delivers opening comments during the group’s annual meeting at the Fairmont Dallas on Feb. 27, 2026.
Steve Hamm

DDI, a nonprofit, promotes downtown Dallas, and its board voted unanimously this week to back the course outlined by the City Council’s Finance Committee, Scripps said at the group’s annual meeting at the Fairmont Dallas.

That committee this week asked city staff to shift 311, 911 and emergency operations to a new government center as soon as possible, explore moving all other functions and pursue redevelopment options for the current site at 1500 Marilla St.

Downtown business interests favor redevelopment of the property for mixed-use projects and other ideas, while preservationists have called for protecting the I.M. Pei-designed building.

Last year, City Council members directed City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to assess the building’s condition. She engaged the nonprofit Dallas Economic Development Corp. to lead the review.

The EDC’s report, released last week, found that fully repairing and modernizing City Hall could cost taxpayers more than $1 billion over 20 years.

DDI also is urging city leaders to pursue a redevelopment strategy for the existing site that builds on major public investments already underway downtown, including:

The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters
Dallas College
Memorial Auditorium, the planned future home of the Dallas Wings

Scripps said downtown offers assets that could be repurposed to consolidate city functions and improve public access.

She also said the organization hopes the Mavericks basketball team and Stars hockey team remain in or near downtown, “where they belong.”

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Dallas, TX

Mavericks vs Kings Final Score: Dallas falls to Sacramento, 130-121

Published

2 days ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Mavericks vs Kings Final Score: Dallas falls to Sacramento, 130-121

The Dallas Mavericks (21-37) were beaten early and late by the Sacramento Kings (14-47) at home on Thursday, falling 130-121 in their first home game in over a month. Precious Achiuwa scored a career high 29 points against Dallas, leading the Kings. He also chipped in 12 rebounds and four assists. Naji Marshall was the best Dallas player, scoring 36 to go along with 10 rebounds and six helpers.

The first quarter of Mavericks-Kings really proved that in the NBA, anything is possible. With a couple of wonky lineups, largely due to neither team having anything resembling their normal roster, there wasn’t much defense to be played on either side of the ball. And while Marshall had himself a quarter, scoring 13, every other Maverick was some variation of bad. The Kings, meanwhile, put up baskets with ease. Dallas left quarter one down 42-28.

The Kings stopped scoring at will in the second quarter, and the two teams settled into a bit of a slog. Sacramento did grow the lead to as many as 18 in the frame before Dallas found some dignity and made a push. But they weren’t able to make it a close game in one quarter. Sacramento finally committed a few turnovers in the latter minutes of the half to give Dallas a chance to cut it to single digits, only for a last-second turnover, which led to a Kings basket. Dallas trailed 68-56 at the half.

The third quarter was something special. The Mavericks cut the Kings lead down to three very quickly to start the half, only to get walloped on a huge Kings run. The game then teetered back and forth between single and double digits. Marvin Bagley went down with a head injury, which slowed the Dallas momentum. The Mavericks found themselves down 12 as the quarter ended, which was the same amount they were down when the second half began. Dallas trailed 100-88 with 12 minutes to go.

The Dallas Mavericks made things interesting, you have to give them that. The fourth quarter was a slow collapse by the Kings, a theme we’ve seen all season as Dallas shocks people simply by playing hard. The 12 point lead whittled down to 2 points with two minutes remaining, only for the Kings to wake up and close out the contest. Dallas falls, somehow, 130-121. A masterful tank.

That was a genuinely shocking game

Perhaps it’s me. Maybe I’m the problem. Maybe I don’t believe enough, in Jason Kidd, in this Dallas Mavericks team.

When I noticed this four game slate in mid-December, when the Dallas season was already over and no one knew it, I marked it down as a stretch which would cause the fandom to go NUTS. Four straight wins, even against the Grizzlies, who weren’t yet tanking either. The Kings were bad. They should be beatable every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

But no, not for our Dallas Mavericks. With PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford out, with Cooper Flagg out, this was a game Dallas wanted to lose institutionally. Don’t let the players hear that, of course. Kidd played Marshall 42 freaking minutes, and the dude battled his butt off. But Caleb Martin exists, and he’s one of the players on this team who probably shouldn’t be in the NBA at this point. He played a mere 20 minutes but was outscored 25 points while he was on the floor. That’s so hard to do!

But Dallas did it. And they lost.

Now, they’ll win some games they shouldn’t. They have too much veteran talent to actually TANK, like the Kings, Jazz, and other moribund franchies. But for now, enjoy how ridiculous a loss this was. Go Mavs.

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