"Not just in the 4th": Luka Doncic brags about holding his ground defensively after Suns target him 

The Dallas Mavericks, led by Luka Doncic, succeeded in a 123-113 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The win improved their season series record to 2-1 against the Western Conference juggernaut led by Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

The five-time All-Star surpassed his season averages, ending the night with 41 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists on 14-of-27 shooting at 51.9%, including 6-of-11 from deep at 54.5%.

However, it wasn't his offense that impressed him about the game, but his much-improved defense. Mavericks writer Grant Asfeth reported that when asked about his defense, including a big stop on Durant, Doncic replied:

"Not just in the fourth, but even throughout the game, I take a big pride in that, and I think I was good today."

This could be attributed to his improved conditioning, playing for the national team in the off-season with Slovenia at the FIBA World Cup.

When guarded by Doncic, players shoot at 44.1% from the paint on 13.9 attempts, 37.9% from the mid-range on 8.1 attempts and 38.0% from the corner 3s on 4.3 attempts. He also had three steals against the Suns.

Over the years, Doncic has progressed in his defensive approach and believing in coach Jason Kidd's defensive identity for the team with athletic wings and stretch bigs supporting him and Kyrie Irving.

Luka Doncic propels Dallas Mavericks with 41 points to lead team in seven straight wins

The Dallas Mavericks' season-best win streak matches the longest run of games featuring the dynamic duo of Doncic and Irving playing together.

Thursday night's win improved their win streak to seven following the All-Star break. Dallas matched Phoenix's record at 33-23, while securing the head-to-head tiebreaker with a 2-1 advantage, as both teams vie for a direct playoff spot.

Fellow All-Star Devin Booker contributed with 35 points, while 14-time All-Star Kevin Durant added 23 points on a less impressive shooting performance than usual.

The Suns had been on a hot streak before the break, winning five of their last six games.

The Dallas Mavericks' recent surge in performance began when Kyrie Irving returned from a sprained thumb. Throughout the season, the Mavericks have had to play without either Luka or Irving, or both in 27 games due to various injuries.

Their current run of seven consecutive wins together ties their longest stretch of games, which occurred in the first month of the season.