NBA Playoffs: Dallas Mavericks, 76ers Win To Tie Individual Series At 2-All

9th May 2022

The Suns, who finished the regular season with the best record in the league, will try to regain the advantage when they host game five on Tuesday

 Joel Embiid, James Harden of Philadelphia 76ers and Jimmy Butler of Miami Heat in action during NBA semifinals between Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States on May 8, 2022. PHOTO | AFP
Joel Embiid, James Harden of Philadelphia 76ers and Jimmy Butler of Miami Heat in action during NBA semifinals between Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States on May 8, 2022. PHOTO | AFP
SUMMARY
  • The Dallas Mavericks put on an incredible performance to beat top-seeded Phoenix Suns 111-101 on Sunday to bring their NBA playoff series level at two games each
  • The Philadelphia 76ers also won a second straight game at home to level their Eastern Conference series with Miami at two-all
  • Embiid carried the Sixers early, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. Harden, who didn’t score in the opening period, took over with 13 points in the second and Philadelphia took a 64-56 lead into halftime after an opening half that featured 17 lead changes.

The Dallas Mavericks put on an incredible performance to beat top-seeded Phoenix Suns 111-101 on Sunday to bring their NBA playoff series level at two games each.

The Mavericks rained 20 three-pointers and again neutralized Phoenix point guard Chris Paul as they rallied to a 68-56 lead at the break.

Star guard Luka Doncic scored 26 points and Dorian Finney-Smith added 24 for Dallas, who have won two games at home to level the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup after dropping the first two games in Phoenix.

The Suns, who finished the regular season with the best record in the league, will try to regain the advantage when they host game five on Tuesday. It’s guaranteed to shift back to Dallas for game six on Thursday.

The Philadelphia 76ers also won a second straight game at home to level their Eastern Conference series with Miami at two-all.

Former NBA MVP James Harden scored 31 points to lead six Philadelphia players in double figures in a 116-108 victory.

Center Joel Embiid, who missed the first two games with a concussion and facial fracture, scored 24 points, his presence again making things tougher for Miami defensively.

Embiid carried the Sixers early, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. Harden, who didn’t score in the opening period, took over with 13 points in the second and Philadelphia took a 64-56 lead into halftime after an opening half that featured 17 lead changes.

The Sixers, up 89-85 going into the fourth, pushed the lead to 10 with less than six minutes remaining. Miami had cut it to five when Harden drove to the rim for a basket then drained a three-pointer.

Embiid, still playing in a protective mask, grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Tyrese Maxey for a dunk that made it 111-103 and Harden made another three-pointer to push the lead to 11 with 1:07 left, effectively sealing the win.

Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter as the Sixers withstood a 40-point performance from Miami’s Jimmy Butler.

Devin Booker led the Suns with 35 points. Jae Crowder added 15 and Deandre Ayton scored 14.

But the Mavericks bench out-scored the Phoenix reserves 36-26.