The Phoenix Suns play host to the Dallas Mavericks at Footprint Center on Wednesday.

The Mavericks were one of the biggest surprises last season when they reached the Western Conference Finals. They did end up losing to the eventual champs but getting that far shows how much this team has developed. Luka Doncic is the straw that stirs the drink, averaging 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in that 2021 campaign. He's actually averaged at least 31 points in each of his first three years, and he truly looks like one of the best players in the league at 23 years old. The Mavericks have been doing everything possible to build around this guy, adding Christian Wood in the offseason. This team has been desperate for a legitimate big man, and it looks even better since Tim Hardaway Jr is also returning.

The Suns appear to be headed in the wrong direction. They lost the NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks two years ago and were knocked out by these Mavs in the Western Conference Semis last year. Making it that far is an accomplishment, but it's never good to see the ticker trending in the wrong direction. It becomes even more concerning since Chris Paul is aging every year, especially since the Deandre Ayton situation continues to look ugly. The big man appears to be unhappy in a Phoenix uniform, and it's even more bizarre since he signed an extension. This team has all the talent to finish with the best record in the west, but all the indicators for the upcoming season are ominous signs.

The most recent meeting between these teams was epic. Dallas went into Phoenix and handed the Suns a 123-90 beatdown in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals. With that said, Phoenix has won nine straight regular-season matchups with Dallas.