In the last game of the Christmas Day lineup, the Phoenix Suns will face off against the Dallas Mavericks in what has become a heated rivalry. This showdown in the Western Conference has gained intensity since the 2022 NBA playoffs, particularly due to the presence of stars Luka Doncic and Devin Booker. The tension reached its peak during the Western Conference Semi-Finals, where the Mavericks shocked the top-seeded Suns in a thrilling seven-game series. The Suns were left with a bitter taste after suffering a crushing 123-90 defeat in Game 7. Emotions have run high in every subsequent meeting between these two teams.

As the rivals prepare to face each other once again, let's take a closer look at the injury report, predicted starting lineups, and more. The Suns have been facing offensive concerns since the addition of Bradley Beal, who unfortunately suffered an ankle injury in Phoenix's loss to New York on December 15. In addition to Beal, Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Okogie, and Damion Lee will also be unavailable for the Christmas Day clash. Yuta Watanabe and Eric Gordon are listed as game-time decisions due to finger and hip injuries, respectively.

The Mavericks have also been plagued by injuries and have struggled with a 2-4 record in their last six games. Dereck Lively II, Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, and Maxi Kleber will be absent for tonight's matchup. With both teams dealing with injuries, the Suns' current roster appears to be stronger than the Mavericks'.