Mavericks 102, 
Suns 93
5:30 PM ET, June 3, 2006
US Airways Center
Phoenix, AZ
Mavericks can oust Suns, reach NBA Final for first time
VIDEO PLAYLIST 
| AccuScore Projections | ||
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| Gameday Matchup | |||||||
| W-L | PF | PA | HOME | ROAD | STK | L10 | |
| DAL | 60-22 | 99.1 | 93.1 | 34-7 | 26-15 | L1 | 5-5 |
| PHO | 54-28 | 108.4 | 102.8 | 31-10 | 23-18 | W2 | 4-6 |
| Injury Report |
| DALLAS |
| · Shawn Marion F - Nov 21: Day-to-Day · Erick Dampier C - Nov 21: Day-to-Day |
| PHOENIX |
| · Robin Lopez C - Nov 20: OUT |
· Fantasy Injury News  · View NBA injury report |
| Starting Lineup | ||
| DALLAS (PPG) | PHOENIX (PPG) | |
| SG J. Terry 18.9 | PG S. Nash 20.4 | |
| C D. Diop 2.7 | SG R. Bell 13.6 | |
| PG D. Harris 9.4 | PF B. Diaw 18.7 | |
| SF J. Howard 16.7 | PF T. Thomas 15.1 | |
| PF D. Nowitzki 27.0 | F S. Marion 20.4 | |
| · View full depth chart · Team rosters: Dallas | Phoenix | ||
| Today's Line | ||||
| FAVORITE | OPEN | CUR | UNDERDOG | O/U |
| @PHOENIX | -1 | 2 | 213 | |
| ATS | Dallas | Phoenix | ||
| Record: | 0-1-0 (.000) | 1-0-0 (1.000) | ||
| As Favorite: | 0-1-0 (.000) | 0-0-0 (.000) | ||
| As Underdog: | 0-0-0 (.000) | 1-0-0 (1.000) | ||
| At Home: | 0-1-0 (.000) | 0-0-0 (.000) | ||
| On Road: | 0-0-0 (.000) | 1-0-0 (1.000) | ||
Dallas at Phoenix 8:30 pm EDT Western Conference final Mavericks lead, 3-2
PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Most teams would not like to play three straight seven-game series. The Phoenix Suns probably wouldn't mind.The second-seeded Suns must beat the fourth-seeded Dallas Mavericks on Friday night to salvage their season and force Game Seven in the Western Conference finals.The Suns have played so many postseason games, they are starting to lose count. After Wednesday's 117-101 loss at Dallas, guard Steve Nash was asked what his team needed to do in Game Six."We just want to play a better game and put together 48 minutes like we did in Game Five ... Four," he said. "What was that, Four?"Told that it was, Nash said, "I'm losing track. We've gone to seven games almost three times now."The Suns fell in a 3-1 hole in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers but became the eighth team in history to climb out, winning the last three games. In the conference semifinals, they were pushed to a Game Seven by the Los Angeles Clippers before winning. They may not like it, but they are getting used to it."I don't think we enjoy it, but I think we're more ready, more aggressive and we play our best when we have our backs to the wall," center Boris Diaw said.In order to get to Game Seven, however, the Suns must win Game Six against the Mavericks, who have rode superstar Dirk Nowitzki to within one win away of their first trip to the NBA Finals.In Game Five, Nowitzki erupted for 50 points, making 14-of-26 shots - including 5-of-6 from the arc - and 17-of-18 free throws as he joined Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant as 50-point scorers in this postseason. Both performances came against the Suns.Nowitzki scored 22 points in the fourth quarter, including 15 in succession for Dallas, which is trying to become the first No. 4 seed to reach the Finals since the playoffs went to a 16-team format in 1984.The Mavericks are 5-3 on the road in the postseason, winning two road games in each of their first two series and Game Three here. However, they are just 2-2 in close-out games.