"The Suns weren't shooting for the moon Saturday night, although it was in their sights beyond the lights at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. They just needed a preseason victory, seemingly the easiest type of NBA win to get if so motivated. The stars were aligned in the sky and on the Dallas bench, where Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry did not suit up, for a needed Suns feel-good game. After ugly, turnover-plagued preseason road losses to Sacramento and Toronto, Phoenix used home-away-from-home-court advantage in a 98-90 victory over the Mavericks. The Suns leaned on their starters through the first three quarters and looked comfortable in the open-air arena, where they got their first win in a third consecutive year playing there. After shooting 31 percent and 40 percent in the first two visits, the Suns found their usual efficiency in the third quarter Saturday when they scored 36 points, shot 62 percent and opened a 22-point lead on Dallas, who played without coach Rick Carlisle. He stayed in Dallas after collapsing at Friday's practice there. The Suns had several phases to clean up, starting with the 32 turnovers they made in Wednesday's loss to Toronto. They made six in the first three quarters Saturday before the bench let the game get close. The Suns improved on denying dribble penetration, holding Dallas to one field goal over 7 1/2 minutes of the second quarter." http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...in-outdoor-sports-game-against-mavericks.html
