The NBA's Christmas five-header ends with the Phoenix Suns taking on the Dallas Mavericks in a clash of Western Conference contenders.
Phoenix desperately needs a win to start the evening having lost four of their last five games, while Dallas is in a similar boat having lost three of their last four games. The Suns will be without Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic, while the Mavericks will be without Kyrie Irving and Maxi Kleber.
Still, there are worse ways to end a night than Kevin Durant versus Luka Doncic.
In previous games, the New York Knicks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Golden State Warriors, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat held off the Philadelphia 76ers.
Live136 updates
- Monday, December 25, 2023 at 8:08 p.m. GMT
- Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 4:37am GMT
The Suns are putting together some better defensive players and the Mavs are missing some shots now, but the offense remains in crisis.
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) December 26, 2023
- Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 4:29am GMT
- Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 4:25am GMT
Luka Doncic continues to find a remarkable rhythm in this game and shoots from distance. He made a few quick trigger 3s in handoffs and has a catch-and-shoot 3 in transition. He is 4-5 from deep with 20 points in 13 minutes.
– Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) December 26, 2023
- Tue, Dec 26, 2023 at 4:18am GMT
Luka Doncic (17 points, 4 assists) scored 26 points in the first quarter. The Suns scored 24 points.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 26, 2023
- Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 4:13am GMT
End of 1st quarter: DAL 36, PHX 24
Allen: 6 points, 2-5 3 points
Duration: 5 points, 2-3 FG
Booker: 2 pts, 1-5 FG
Doncic: 17-4-3, 5-6 FG– Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) December 26, 2023
- Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 4:12am GMT
- Tue, Dec 26, 2023 at 4:06 a.m. GMT
Two much-needed 3s from Grayson Allen bring the Suns back to 6 points. The Suns desperately need someone to be a threat on offense outside of KD and Book
– Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) December 26, 2023
- Tue, Dec 26, 2023 at 4:04 a.m. GMT
- Tue, Dec 26, 2023 at 4:02 a.m. GMT
- Tuesday, December 26, 2023, 03:57 GMT
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:54 a.m. GMT
The Suns switch screens from Luka Doncic, play gaps for a while and then double team. Mixed results so far on these looks:
-Lively dunk
– Vibrant bucket in color
– Rally when passing to the corner
-Foul when touching the edge (1 of 2 FTs)
-Open Grant Williams 3 (failure)– Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) December 26, 2023
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:54 a.m. GMT
Luka in the bag early.
To the edge, one-legged step back. Has 4 points. #To sunbathe down 10-7.
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 26, 2023
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:49 a.m. GMT
- Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 3:48am GMT
Dereck Lively II continues to masterfully punish 4-on-3 situations when Luka Doncic is blitzed. He scored early on several occasions. His final touches compared to July remain an incredible area of growth.
– Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) December 26, 2023
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:41 a.m. GMT
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:41 a.m. GMT
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:35 a.m. GMT
Feliz Navidad! The Heat defeated the Sixers 119-113.
Jaime Jaquez Jr is having a career night with 31 points and 10 rebounds. Bam Adebayo with 26-15-5.
Miami improves to 18-12 in 30 games this season. A tough 5-game trip to the West Coast begins Thursday night at Golden St.
– Will Manso (@WillManso) December 26, 2023
- Tue Dec 26, 2023 at 3:30am GMT
What was worse than the terrible shooting was that Maxey missed shots he should have taken (and had open ones) in the fourth period. I would have rather seen him miss five more
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) December 26, 2023
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:27 a.m. GMT
- Tue, December 26, 2023 at 3:25 a.m. GMT