PHOENIX — Luka Dončić’s playoff career—during which he’s established himself to be one of the greatest postseason scorers of all time—has come to be defined by his ability to surgically pick apart great defenses. In Game 1 against the Suns, Dončić went off for 45 points. In the first half of Game 2, he picked up right where he left off, pouring in another 24 points and leading the Mavs to a 60–58 lead.
Then when it came to winning time in the fourth quarter, Chris Paul gave Dončić a taste of his own medicine.
Phoenix now leads 2–0 in its second-round series against Dallas after a decisive 129–109 win Wednesday. The Suns exploded for 40 points in the fourth quarter, and the leader of the outburst was Paul. CP3 scored 14 in the final frame—more than Dončić had the entire second half—and did so by routinely picking on the Mavs’ best scorer in switches.
