Both teams have long been eliminated from the NBA postseason contention. Phoenix (21-61) finished the season with the worst record in the league while Dallas (24-58) recorded its fewest amount of wins in a full season since the 1997-98 campaign.
Peters opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer that pushed the Suns' lead to 86-76, and Phoenix's mix of role players and G League call-ups outlasted the Mavericks' similar bunch through the final minutes of the season.
Peters averaged 17.6 points per game this season in 35 appearances for the Northern Arizona Sun in the G League and 2.4 ppg in 19 games for Phoenix in 2017-18.
Alex Len and Shaquille Harrison added 18 points each for the Suns, while Danuel House Jr. scored 16, Dragan Bender hit for 15 and took 13 rebounds, and Tyler Ulis racked up 14 points. Harrison also recorded 10 assists.
Johnathan Motley led the Mavericks with 21 points. Aaron Harrison added 16, Jalen Jones scored 15 points, Dorian Finney-Smith rang up 14 points, and Maxi Kleber contributed 10.
Kyle Collinsworth had his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas, which ended the season on a four-game losing streak. Collinsworth also handed out a team-high eight assists.
The Mavericks led 54-44 at halftime behind a dozen points each from Motley and Harrison, both of whom played most of this season in the G League.
Len and Peters scored 12 points apiece to pace Phoenix in the first half.
The Suns caught fire in the third quarter, outscoring Dallas 39-22 and taking an 83-76 lead into the fourth. Peters hit for 11 points in the final 4:06 of the period to help Phoenix break away from a tied game with a 14-7 run.
--Field Level Media
Phoenix | Dallas | |
Alec Peters 36 | Scoring | Johnathan Motley 21 |
Shaquille Harrison 10 | Assists | Kyle Collinsworth 8 |
Dragan Bender 13 | Rebounds | Kyle Collinsworth 11 |
Alec Peters 4 | Free Throws Made | Aaron Harrison 4 |
Shaquille Harrison 2 | Steals | Aaron Harrison 2 |
Dragan Bender 2 | Blocks | Maxi Kleber 1 |