PHOENIX — Jusuf Nurkic played a crucial role in the Phoenix Suns’ 114-102 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
The Suns’ center scored 18 points, secured a game-high 14 rebounds, made 7 of his 12 field goal attempts, and played a physically dominant game against Dallas.
“He was aggressive,” said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. “We discussed it, needing to box him out. He grabbed (three) offensive rebounds, made some layups in the post, and really energized them. He was good for them (Saturday).”
Nurkic’s strong showing came a night after a quieter performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, where he had only four points, seven rebounds, and shot 1-of-5 in a 123-116 loss.
“I knew I had to be better,” Nurkic said. “I have great support from the coaches and organization, so I’m just trying to fit in. I missed some preseason games, so it’s not perfect yet. Sometimes I’m not as aggressive as I should be and am overpassing.”
Acquired from Portland last month, Nurkic used his physicality to repeatedly get to the basket.
“He was physical, attacking the basket,” Mavs guard Luka Dončić said. “He used his body well.”
Takeaways from the Mavs’ 12-point loss to the Suns:
LUKA SCORES 40: Luka Dončić was dominant again, scoring 40 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and adding four assists on 12-of-25 shooting. Last season against the Suns, Dončić averaged 41.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists per game.
DURANT DELIVERS: Suns forward Kevin Durant showed why he’s among the best, scoring 31 points with nine rebounds. He shot 10-of-21 from the field, 4-of-8 from three, and 7-of-9 from the free throw line.
THOMPSON SHINES FROM DEEP: Following a hot start in his Mavs debut against the Spurs, Klay Thompson continued his three-point success. He shot 7-of-16 overall, including 5-of-12 from beyond the arc, finishing with 19 points.
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