updated 7:54 p.m. ET April 1, 2007

PHOENIX - If Phoenix plays the Dallas Mavericks a few weeks from now in the Western Conference finals, confidence should be no problem for the Suns.

Not with the way they handled the Mavericks on Sunday.

With Leandro Barbosa leading a parade of big scorers with 29 points, the Suns beat the Mavericks for the second time in 18 days, 126-104.

Amare Stoudemire added 24 points and Steve Nash had 23 points and 11 assists as the Suns snapped Dallas’ nine-game winning streak and finished the season series 2-2. After a scoreless first quarter, Shawn Marion had 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting. He also frustrated Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki most of the afternoon.

“That’s about as good as we can play,” Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni said.

The Suns shot 65 percent (46-of-71), the highest in the NBA this season and a record for any team at US Airways Center, formerly America West Arena.

Phoenix shot 86 percent in the fourth quarter (13-for-15), 4-of-4 on 3s.

“We were getting good looks,” Marion said. “Everybody was rotating, making the extra pass. When everybody makes the extra pass, you get open looks and you’re going to knock down some shots.”

Stoudemire, who scored 41 in the Suns’ come-from-behind 129-127 double-overtime victory at Dallas on March 14, made 10 of 13 shots Sunday. In the last two games against the Mavericks, Stoudemire was 26-of-32 from the field.

“It’s just tough because my jumper is falling now, so it makes it harder for the defense to figure out what I’m going to do,” Stoudemire said. “I’m either going to shoot the jumper, drive around them or pass it out for a 3. It’s pretty much pick your poison with myself and also for the team.”

Even the hard-to-please Nash seemed satisfied for a change.

“Sometimes to a fault we’ve played to the level of our competition. Fortunately it’s good on nights like tonight,” he said. “Tonight I give us high marks for energy and consistency. When we play well, no one’s going to defend us well.”

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

Josh Howard scored 28 for Dallas, 18 in a tight first half that featured 13 ties and nine lead changes. Jerry Stackhouse added 25 and Jason Terry 20.

Nowitzki scored 21 but was just 6-of-18 shooting.

“They had a good strategy, a good game plan,” Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. “They executed, and we never left the hotel.”

Boris Diaw had 16 points for Phoenix, and a spectacular behind-the-back bounce pass to Stoudemire for a layup.

“This doesn’t mean we’re so much better than Dallas, no,” D’Antoni said. “Dallas has got the best record, and they’re going to be the No. 1 seed, but I think it’s going to be very competitive and we’ll see what happens.”

MORE FROM NBA

NBA Section Front

Wade scores 41 as Heat holds off Wizards Heat owner confident Wade won’t leave Iverson yet to return to Grizzlies Grizzlies rookie Thabeet breaks jaw   Mavericks start slow, beat Rockets 121-103 Abdul-Jabbar has rare form of leukemia   Video: Addul-Jabbar talks about his battle   Slideshow: Abdul-Jabbar’s career highlights Winderman: Boost or bust? Young season offers insight Fan ranker: Who will be MVP of the NBA?   NBA Section Front   Add NBA headlines to your news reader: