Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks finally got one win against the Phoenix Suns in their Western Conference semifinals series, thanks to their brilliant defense in Game 3.

Before the match, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd emphasized the need for Doncic to be aggressive and engaged on the defensive end. The Slovenian star agreed, noting that he needs to step up beyond just offense if they want to have any chance to win.

Sure enough, they defended like their lives were on the line, limiting the Suns to just 94 points. Phoenix still shot well, but their scoring opportunities were limited and finished with just 34 shots made on 70 attempts. Dallas was at 40-of-90 from the field.

Speaking after the contest, Luka heaped praise on their defense and how it set the tone for the rest of the game.

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“The energy was insane,” Doncic said of the Mavs' defense, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Of course it was not only the Mavs' defense that made the difference. Luka Doncic was on point with his offense once again, finishing with a near triple-double of 26 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.

Jalen Brunson has finally broken out of his slump as well, dropping 28 points on top of four boards and five dimes.

The Mavs will need a similar performance in Game 4 to even out the series. Fortunately, they'll still be playing at home before things shift back to Phoenix.