Despite initial problems, Damian Lillard turns up in the final section and leads the Portland Trail Blazers (27-22) to a 107:93 victory (BOXSCORE) over Dallas Mavericks (16-33). The Mavs can keep the game open for a long time, but in the end they have no answer to Big Game Dame. Meanwhile, Dirk Nowitzki catches a used evening.
In the first meeting of the two teams just over a week ago, the Trail Blazers beat the Mavs a whole 18 threesomes around the ears. However, there was not much to be seen of a similar offensive fireworks display in the early minutes of this game. Especially for the guests from Oregon things went badly.
In a first-quarter phase of the match, Portland was even five minutes without a successful field goal, so that the Mavericks were able to set themselves apart with a 13-2 run. In the second section, the Trail Blazers increasingly sought their way into the zone and gained self-confidence on the free-throw line. So Damian Lillard turned the game after a weak start (0/4 FG in the first quarter) and put his team in front with 12 points.
Shortly after the half-time break, the game seemed to slip away from de Mavs. After just 40 seconds in the third quarter, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle was already forced to take a break. Apparently he found the right words, however, and Dallas returned to the game thanks to a very balanced team performance (each player scored at least 2 points).
In the final section, however, the Mavericks lacked an answer to the backcourt of the Trail Blazers. Lillard led his team with 7 points in a row to a 13:2 run. Shortly after that Rookie Zach Collins with a threesome and a nice drive including an And-One. In the middle of the fourth quarter, Portland’s lead grew to 21 points. So the game was over.
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At that time, nothing was going to happen in the Mavs. Harrison Barnes finished the game with 21 points (6/15 FG), but just as little as Dennis Smith Jr. (18 points, 7 assists) or Wesley Matthews (12) could not provide accents in the final round. A few Alley-Oop-Plays alone provided a few more highlights in the garbage time. Dirk Nowitzki caught a used evening, the German got 7 points and 5 rebounds at 2 out of 11. Maxi Kleber also contributed 7 counters (2/6 FG) and 5 boards.
On the other hand, Lillard advanced to the top scorer, with the Point Guard scoring 14 of his 29 points (9/18 FG) in the last quarter. C.J. McCollum scored 20 points and 5 assists, while Ed Davis (15 points, 13 rebounds) caused a sensation from the bank. Blazers coach Terry Stotts celebrated his 250th birthday. Victory as head coach of the Trail Blazers, for his team it was the fifth victory from the past six games.
Mavericks vs. Blazers: Click here for the BOXSCORE!
The backcourt of the Trail Blazers. That C. J. McCollum and Damian Lillard, representing one of the NBA’s best Guard duos, should be nothing new. Against the Mavs they proved once again why. When Lillard had some serious problems at the start of the game, McCollum took over and kept Portland on their own with 11 points in the first quarter. In the final section, it was Lillard who brought his team on the winning track with a personal 7:2 run.
Yogi Ferrell. From the backup guard of the Mavericks there was almost nothing to be seen that night. Of all the hosts’ reservists, he was the longest on the stadium (28 minutes), but he was not able to convert that into good statistics. Ferrell scored 5 points and 1 rebound and had to fight his throw (2/9 FG, 1/6 threesome).
The reservists played an important role on both sides today. Early on in the game, all of the Mavs’ bankers had successful field goals and Dallas Bank scored 28 points. The reservationists of the guests were even better (34), thanks to Ed Davis in particular. The Big Man gave important impulses with his energy and commitment and contributed with his 15 points (6/7 FG), 13 rebounds and 3 blocks an important part to the Blazers’ victory. It’s no wonder that Blazers coach Terry Stotts, in turn, only used Jusuf Nurkic for 17 minutes and increasingly relied on Davis.