In a thrilling display of basketball, Jusuf Nurkic clinched victory for the Phoenix Suns against the Dallas Mavericks this Friday night. With just 0.8 seconds on the clock, Nurkic made the second of two free throws following a foul on an offensive rebound, propelling the Suns to a nail-biting 114-113 win.

Kevin Durant, contributing 26 points, and Nurkic, with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds, played key roles in pushing the Suns to an 8-1 record, a feat not achieved since the 2009-10 season. Notably, two of these victories were against the reigning Western Conference champions, Dallas.

Key Moments and Takeaways

Nurkic’s pivotal moment came when he dunked a putback with just 31 seconds remaining off a Durant miss, pushing the Suns into the lead. In response, Dallas’ Daniel Gafford levelled the score at 113 from an alley-oop dunk set up by Luka Doncic, who put up a solid performance with 30 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds.

As the clock wound down, an attempted runner in the lane by Royce O’Neale fell short. However, Nurkic seized the rebound and drew a foul from several Dallas defenders as the buzzer sounded, with Gafford fouling out on the decisive play. A last-ditch effort by Doncic with a 3-pointer fell short.

O’Neale contributed 18 points for Phoenix, while Devin Booker added 13 points and 12 assists. For Dallas, Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and Naji Marshall contributed 18.

Phoenix’s Bench and Key Stats

Phoenix’s bench, led by O’Neale, outscored Dallas’ reserves 28-9, building on the momentum from their previous meeting where they had a 23-9 advantage.

Dallas was hampered by Gafford’s foul trouble, compounded by Dereck Lively II’s absence due to a sprained shoulder. This forced Dwight Powell into a season-high 25 minutes, ending with five fouls.

Although Phoenix only held a slight edge in offensive rebounds at 11-8, six of them crucially came in the fourth quarter, with Nurkic claiming all three of his during this period.

Upcoming Games

The victorious Suns will host Sacramento on Sunday, while the Mavericks look to bounce back in Denver on Sunday night.

David Marshall is a seasoned sports writer with a flair for storytelling. With a background in both print and digital media, David has a knack for capturing the human side of sports, turning every game into a compelling narrative. His insights into the world of basketball and his love for stats have earned him a loyal following. When he’s not writing, you can find David perfecting his jump shot at the local court.