Suns forward, Raja Bell, returned to the starting line up after a calf injury sustained in Game One had kept him out of Games Two and Three - encounters which Phoenix also happened to lose.

Bell's energy and passion were vital components in the Suns' victory, but more importantly his reintroduction into the starting five allowed bench player, Leandro Barbosa, to take his place back on the pine - a position were he has a greater impact.

The restructure worked well for Phoenix as Barbosa found his shooting touch to finish with a career-playoff-high 24 points, while Stevee Nash was his usual brilliant self, scoring 21 points and dishing out seven assists.

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni was pleased with the character Barbosa showed after bouncing back from ordinary games in the starting five.

"We needed him," D'Antoni told AFP.

"My feeling is that if he went out and messed up and we lose it was still more important the character he showed."

"To be able to go into the fox hole with him and coach a player like him is precious," he said.

Shutting down the Mavs' All-Star forward, Dirk Nowitzki, was also critical in Phoenix's victory.

Nowitzki played his worst playoff game of the season to finish with 11 points and seven rebounds, after previously averaging 28 points and 17 rebounds.

Josh Howard was the Mavs' top scorer with 16 points as Dallas had a day they rather forget, connecting with only forty two percent of their shots from the floor.

Game Five will be played in Dallas on Thursday.