By R.L. Bynum
Reggie Bullock’s best career playoff scoring game wasn’t enough for his Dallas Mavericks to avoid going down 2–0 in their Western Conference semifinals series with Cameron Johnson’s Phoenix Suns.
Bullock collected 16 points, four 3-pointers and four rebounds but Phoenix rolled to a 129–109 home victory Wednesday night.
“Overall, I think that we played with a lot more force than we did in Game 1,” Bullock said. “At the same time, they came out and made some tough shots. So, we’ve just got to get back to the drawing board and just come up with a different plan and make some adjustments.”
Former Wake Forest star Chris Paul scored 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Suns pulled away after only leading by six after three periods.
“I think we were just a little late on our rotations on closing out to the three,” Bullock said of Phoenix’s fourth-quarter surge. “They have so many players that can shoot the ball.”
Bullock’s point total topped his best previous playoff scoring game of 15 points, which he did twice: In Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round series last season for New York against Atlanta and last month in Game 1 of the Mavericks’ first-round series with the Utah Jazz.
His game score of 12.7 is topped only by the 13.1 in Game 3 against Utah when he had 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal.
There was the frustrating moment when he was pushed to the court by teammate Dorian Finney-Smith.
Johnson collected nine points, two rebounds and two assists in a little over 17 minutes. It was the fourth time in the playoffs that he’s been held to one 3-pointer (he was 1 of 4) and the third time he’s failed to score in double-digits.
Like many players in the league, Johnson had challenging moments (below tweet) trying to guard Mavs All-Star Luca Dončić, who scored 35 points.
It was another rough night for Danny Green and the Philadelphia 76ers in Miami playing without Joel Embiid, but they hope to get the All-Star back for Game 3 on Friday.
Green was 1 of 9 from 3-point range for three points as the Sixers fell behind 2–0 in their Eastern Conference semifinals series with a 119–103 loss to the Heat.
Green’s 1 of 10 shooting from the floor was his worst shooting night in a playoff game since going 1 of 12 for the San Antonio Spurs in 2013 in Miami, when the Heat clinched its third NBA title.
Reggie Bullock, Dallas Mavericks guard/forward
129–109 Game 2 loss at Phoenix — Started; 37 minutes, 16 points, 5–9 FG, 4–8 3FG, 2–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, -24, 12.7 game score
Playoff statistics — 8 games, 10.9 points, 44.4 FG%, 40.4 3P%, 88.9 FT%, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Regular-season statistics — 68 games, 8.6 points, 40.1 FG%, 36.0 3P%, 83.3 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Mavericks-Suns Western Conference semifinals
Phoenix 121, Dallas 114
Wednesday: Phoenix 129, Dallas 109; Suns lead series 2–0
Friday at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Dallas, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
X — Tuesday at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
X — Thursday, May 12 at Dallas, TBD, TBD
X — Sunday, May 15 at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
X — If needed
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Danny Green, Philadelphia 76ers forward
119–103 Game 2 loss at Miami — Started; 23 minutes, 3 points, 1–10 FG, 1–9 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 steal, -18, -2.4 game score
Playoff statistics — 8 games, 7.8 points, 31.9 FG%, 31.0 3FG%, 3.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Regular-season statistics — 62 games, 5.9 points, 39.4 FG%, 38.0 3FG%, 20–24 FT, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists
Heat-Sixers Eastern Conference semifinals
Miami 106, Philadelphia 98
Wednesday: Miami 119, Philadelphia 103; Heat leads series 2–0
Friday in Philadelphia, 7 p.m., ESPN
Sunday in Philadelphia, 8 p.m., TNT
X — Tuesday in Miami, TBD, TBD
X — Thursday, May 12, in Philadelphia, TBD, TBD
X — Sunday, May 15, in Miami, TBD, TBD
X — If needed
———————————————
Cameron Johnson, Phoenix Suns wing
129–109 Game 2 win vs. Dallas — 17 minutes, 9 points, 3–6 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, +19, 4.4 game score
Playoff statistics — 8 games, 11.5 points, 48.5 FG%, 36.8 3FG%, 73.7 FT%, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Regular-season statistics — 66 games, 12.5 points, 46.0 FG%, 42.5 3FG%, 86.0 FT%, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Mavericks-Suns Western Conference semifinals
Phoenix 121, Dallas 114
Wednesday: Phoenix 129, Dallas 109; Suns lead series 2–0
Friday at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Dallas, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
X — Tuesday at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
X — Thursday, May 12 at Dallas, TBD, TBD
X — Sunday, May 15 at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
X — If needed
———————————————
Theo Pinson, Dallas Mavericks guard
129–109 Game 2 loss at Phoenix — Not active for game
Playoff statistics — Hasn’t played
Regular-season NBA season statistics — 19 games, 2.5 points, 35.9 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 10–10 FT, 1.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists
G League season statistics — 14 games, 15.7 points, 40.4 FG%, 38.6 3FG%, 84.8 FT%, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals
Mavericks-Suns Western Conference semifinals
Phoenix 121, Dallas 114
Wednesday: Phoenix 129, Dallas 109; Suns lead series 2–0
Friday at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Dallas, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
X — Tuesday at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
X — Thursday, May 12 at Dallas, TBD, TBD
X — Sunday, May 15 at Phoenix, TBD, TBD
X — If needed
———————————————
Photo via @mavs
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