Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns dunks the ball against the Dallas Mavericks on May 10, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: VCG

Devin Booker scored 28 points and led a third-quarter surge as the host Phoenix Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 110-80 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.

Booker scored 12 points and Deandre Ayton, who finished with 20 points, had eight as the Suns outscored the Mavericks 33-14 in the third quarter to take command. Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson wound up with 14 points each and Chris Paul had 10 assists and seven points.

The Suns can advance to the conference finals by winning Game 6 on Thursday, but that would require the first victory by the visiting team in the series.

Luka Doncic had 28 points and 11 rebounds, Jalen Brunson scored 21 and Davis Bertans added 10 to lead the Mavericks, who shot just eight of 32 on three-point attempts after making 20 of 44 in their 111-101 victory in Game 5 on Sunday.

Doncic's jumper started the third-quarter scoring and pulled Dallas within 49-48. Then the Mavericks went cold.

Ayton had four baskets and Booker made two three-pointers and a free throw during a 17-0 run that gave the Suns a 68-50 lead.

Doncic made one of two free throws to stop the run and added a three-pointer for the Mavericks' first basket in nearly six minutes to trim the lead to 14.

But Johnson made baskets to start and complete a 14-6 run that gave Phoenix an 82-60 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Suns outscored the Mavericks 61-34 in the second half.

Dorian Finney-Smith hit two three-pointers and Doncic and Maxi Kleber made one each as the Mavericks took a 24-16 first-quarter lead.

Booker scored four straight Phoenix points as the Suns trimmed the deficit to 26-23 at the end of the quarter.

Phoenix got within one point before Bertans scored seven straight Dallas points to push the lead to 38-30.

Ayton and Booker scored four points each as Phoenix pulled even at 40 late in the second quarter.

The score was tied twice more before the Suns took a 49-46 halftime lead.

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant could miss the remainder of the NBA postseason after suffering a bone bruise in his right knee, the team announced Tuesday.

In a potentially fatal blow to the Grizzlies' playoff hopes as the team attempts to overturn a 3-1 series deficit against Golden State, Memphis said Morant was "doubtful" to return this season.

Morant limped out of the Grizzlies 142-112 pummeling by the Warriors in San Francisco on Saturday after being injured in the fourth quarter.

The 22-year-old superstar exited Saturday's game at the Chase Center after Warriors guard Jordan Poole appeared to grab his right knee while chasing a loose ball.

It was the latest flashpoint in a testy series between the two Western Conference rivals which has left players on both sides nursing injuries.

Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins later accused Poole of "yanking" Morant's knee and triggering the injury.

Poole has insisted there was nothing sinister in the play.

"It's a basketball play," he said. "We doubled him and I went for the ball. Obviously, you don't want to see anybody get hurt. I'm not even that type of player."

Morant missed Monday's Game 4 loss to the Warriors, who snatched a 101-98 victory after trailing until 45 seconds from the final buzzer.

That defeat left Memphis 3-1 down in the best-of-seven series with game five due to take place in Memphis on Wednesday.

Morant is one of the next generation of superstars in the NBA. 

He was named the 2022 NBA Most Improved Player after averaging 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals a game this season.