DALLAS — The Phoenix Suns won an NBA-best 64 games in setting a franchise record for victories in a single season.
They’re the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason.
They were coming off a 30-point home win heading into Thursday’s Game 6 and looking to close out fourth-seeded Dallas and advance to the Western Conference finals.
The Mavericks had other ideas.
Back home, Dallas forced a Game 7 with a 113-86 win before a sellout crowd of 20,777 at American Airlines Center.
Game 7 is set for Sunday in Phoenix with the Suns facing elimination in a season they’re favored to return to the Finals and win it all this time.
The Mavericks bounced back from getting destroyed in Tuesday’s Game 5 in Phoenix to blitz the Suns as they made 16-of-39 shots from 3-point range.
Luka Doncic scored a game-high 33 points, and the Mavs got big contributions from Reggie Bullock, Spencer Dinwiddie and Maxi Kleber. The latter three combined to shoot 13-for-23 from deep.
Deandre Ayton paced the Suns with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Devin Booker added 19 points but went 0-for-4 from 3. The Suns shot 39.7% from the field.
The Mavericks got a huge call overturned when Jason Kidd challenged a foul on Doncic guarding Booker on a drive. Had the call stood, it would’ve been Doncic’s fifth foul with 10:02 left in the game. Kidd would’ve likely taken him out.
Doncic instead stayed in the game with four fouls and Dallas up 96-76.
The Suns trailed by 15 points, 60-46, at the break as Dallas closed the second quarter on an 18-6 run.
Phoenix had eight turnovers in the first half that led to 12 Dallas points, while the Mavericks only had two that led to two Phoenix points.
This is after Dallas had 12 that led to 18 Phoenix points in the third quarter of Game 5.
Follow Duane Rankin on Twitter @DuaneRankin.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mavericks beat Suns to force decisive Game 7 back in Phoenix