This wasn’t supposed to happen.
The Phoenix Suns, just one season removed from narrowly winning the NBA Finals, had paced the NBA in wins the entire year with 64 and wrapped up the west’s best record (and No. 1 seed) heading into the playoffs.
Now, after just 13 games, the Suns will get a head-start into the offseason.
The Dallas Mavericks, after being down 0-2 in the second round against Phoenix, managed to pull themselves even in an impressive Game 6 victory at home before going on the road to dismantle the Suns in 123-90 fashion.
Mavericks star Luka Doncic paved the way for the victory with 35 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
“I don’t know what to say. But this was amazing to win. Everybody played as hard as they can. No rest. We didn’t take one play off. So this is an incredible thing right now, I just don’t have nothing to say,” Doncic said to TNT following the game.
Doncic and teammate Spencer Dinwiddie (30 points) became the first duo of players to each have 30 points in a Game 7 since 2002, when Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal accomplish the feat in the Western Conference Finals.
The backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker was needed in a major way for Phoenix to keep pace with Dallas. Instead, the duo began the night a combined 0-7. Mixed with center Deandre Ayton, the Suns’ top-three players failed to score a field goal until 4:15 left in the first half.
The Suns trailed the entire way, and saw a deficit as much as 46 points in the second half. Dallas was once again aided by their three-point shooting, converting 48.7% (19-39) of shots from downtown.
Game 7 was the first time all series where the Suns were outrebounded by the Mavericks.
Phoenix became just the second team in NBA history to have 64 or more wins in the regular season and not reach the conference finals.
Dallas now moves on to face the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, while the Suns are sent packing and wondering where they went wrong.
It’s a disappointing end of the road for a Phoenix team many had hoped to potentially win the NBA Finals, considering their improvement from last year’s near-championship campaign.