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Mavs begin road trip against Suns

Mar 8, 2012 - 3:46 PM (Sports Network) - The Dallas Mavericks would still make the playoffs if the regular season ended today, but they haven't been playing like defending champions lately.

The same can not be said for the Phoenix Suns' postseason aspirations, however.

Dallas hopes to improve its recent play when it opens a three-game road trip tonight against the Suns at US Airways Center. It has won just twice in the past seven games and recorded a 95-85 win versus the New York Knicks the last time out on Tuesday behind Dirk Nowitzki's 28 points. He is averaging 31.6 points in his last three games for the Mavs, who are four games behind San Antonio for the Southwest lead and sixth in the conference.

Rodrigue Beaubois netted 18 points off the bench and Jason Kidd added 15 and six assists in the win.

"We couldn't have won without him," Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle said about Beaubois. "We'd like to win it more comfortably, but that just doesn't seem to be in the cards right now."

Kidd was fined $25,000 Wednesday for public criticism of officiating. Kidd was penalized for comments made to the media after Dallas' 95-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

The Mavericks will also visit Sacramento and Golden State, and are 8-10 away from Big D this season. They have dropped four straight on the road. Mavs center Brendan Haywood did not play Tuesday because of an ankle injury and is questionable for tonight.

Phoenix is three games off the eighth and final postseason spot in the Western Conference and looks to get back into the win column Thursday.

The Suns went 5-1 on a recent homestand, but dropped a 115-104 decision at Oklahoma City last night, as Thunder stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for 91 points. Marcin Gortat had a career-high 28 points and 11 rebounds, Jared Dudley notched 17 points and 11 boards and former Mav Steve Nash added 12 points and 13 assists for the Suns.

"We played extremely hard and I thought we fought like crazy, but they got two All-Star guys (Durant and Westbrook) that stepped up and they've got a guy coming off the bench that is most likely going to be the Sixth Man of the Year (Serge Ibaka)," said Suns head coach Alvin Gentry.

Gentry's team blew a 16-point second-half lead and was outscored 31-16 in the fourth quarter. Channing Frye finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Phoenix, which will open a four-game homestand tonight versus the Mavs, Grizzlies, Timberwolves and Jazz. The Suns have won three straight in the desert and are 10-9 as the host this season.

Phoenix has lost the first three meetings with Dallas in 2011-12 and hopes to avoid being swept in the season series for a second straight year. The Mavericks have won eight in a row, 11 of 12 and 14 of the last 17 meetings between the clubs. These two teams have split the last 18 games in the desert.

Dallas swept the season series for the first time since 1986-87 in 2010-11.