NBA Playoff Notebook: Suns win with offense

Leandro Barbosa was 10-for-13 from the floor and finished with a game-high 24 points in 33-plus minutes of action, while reigning MVP Steve Nash scored 21 and dished out seven assists in Game 4’s victory for the Suns.

The second-seeded Suns shot an impressive 54.4 (43-for-79) percent from the field, including 46.7 percent (7-for-15) from beyond the arc. The held Dallas to 41.8 percent (33-of-79) from the floor and forced the fourth-seeded Mavericks into committing 14 turnovers.

"Everybody did a great job tonight, everybody came out and played defense tonight," said Phoenix forward Shawn Marion after Game 4’s win. "That was the difference. We knocked down some shots and played Suns offense. Our offense was working and everybody was getting good looks. Everybody was making the extra pass and thats what Suns basketball is. When we’re doing a lot of one on one, it takes away everything we’re trying to do. Everybody was patient and we were moving that ball and getting good looks.

Marion finished with 15 points and eight boards in the win, while Boris Diaw continued his impressive playoff run with 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Phoenix got a big lift in Game 4, as Raja Bell returned to the lineup from a calf injury. Bell was hurt in Game 1 of the set and did not play in Games 2 and 3, which were both won by the Mavericks. The 29-year-old Bell, who is the Suns best perimeter defender, contributed nine points, four rebounds and three assists in 30-plus minutes of court time.

Bell was limited with his movements because of the injury, but his presence gave the Suns an emotional lift and was a big help on the defensive end of the court.

"The one thing I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do today was really explode off the left leg," said Bell. "That was the part of the problem coming into the game, and they weren’t really confident. So I tried to stay away from situations like that. And I kind of forgot that it was injured at that point. And more than pull it, it just hurt a lot. So I think I avoided a bullet there so to speak because if I had really tried to jump, it might have hurt a little bit more."

All-Star Dirk Nowitzki struggled in Game 4’s loss for Dallas, as he ended with just 11 points and seven rebounds. He was 3-for-13 from the floor and played a little over 33 minutes.

"I thought they just played a lot more aggressive than we did," said Nowitzki after Game 4’s loss. "I still had some looks that I usually make, but, like I said, they were the aggressors, both ends of the floor. Made a lot of defensive errors that we gotta correct until Thursday, and then we’ll go from there."

The Suns have scored over 100 points in both of their wins in the series, while they did not reach the century mark in their two losses. Bottom line, when the Suns play their tempo and score a lot of points, they win.

Dallas is more of a complete team than Phoenix. However, the Suns know that they can lure the Mavericks into a shootout and that works to their favor.