PHOENIX, ARIZONA – MAY 15: Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball against Cameron Johnson #23 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half in Game Seven of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Semifinals at Footprint Center on May 15, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Game 7 between the Mavs and Suns was supposed to be a classic, but it was far from that and NBA Twitter wasn’t about to let Phoenix hear the end of it.
Anticipation was high for Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals series between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns. It was time for either Luka Doncic and the Mavs to make a statement or for the team that made it to the NBA Finals a year ago to prove they’re not going to be stopped in their plight to return to that place.
From the opening tip, though, it was clear that the former was going to be the narrative for the night. Doncic came out white hot and led the Mavs to an early lead, which they kept adding to, and adding to — and adding more to.
When the dust settled from the first half, the Mavericks were up 57-27 going into the locker room, leaving the Suns virtually no hope of coming back. And it was more of the same in the second half, leading to a 123-90 Dallas win.
NBA Twitter roasts Suns for getting blown out by Mavs in Game 7
It was a merciless roast of the Suns from the folks on NBA Twitter.
And really, Phoenix deserves it. It’s one thing to have an off night, even if it’s unfortunately timed for the biggest game of the playoffs to this point. However, the Suns came out from the opening tip and looked lackadaisical, hapless and without the proper effort for this type of moment. That’s how a team ends up with just 27 points at halftime.
With this poor effort from Phoenix in the books, though, the Mavs now advance to the Western Conference Finals for a date with the Golden State Warriors. With the performance they put forth on Sunday, they more than earned that.