Mavericks-Trail Blazers Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dirk, Mavs crowned Kings of the Southwest
Dallas Mavericks 83 at Portland Trail Blazers 77 (04/09/10)

Friday night's matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers certainly had the feel of a playoff game. Physicality? Check. Big-game performance by Dirk Nowitzki? Check. 48-minute war? Intense atmosphere? Check and check.

The Blazers had not swept the Mavericks since the 1998-99 season, and Dallas wanted to make sure that did not change. The two squads faced off at the Rose Garden, well aware that if the playoffs began Friday night then they would meet in the opening round. To top off the storylines, the Mavs entered the night with an opportunity to clinch the Southwest Division with a win and a San Antonio Spurs' loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Spurs did their part, falling 107-99. Nowitzki and the Mavs handled the rest.

Thanks to a 40-point, 10-rebound night from Nowitzki, the Mavericks overcame a 34-percent shooting effort en route to an 83-77 victory. The win not only avoided a season sweep at the hands of the Blazers, it also gave the Mavs just the third division title in franchise history.

"It was a tough, physical game," Nowitzki said after the win. "Both teams didn't give up a lot."

"We were just real active tonight...It was a great basketball game. It was just pure effort by both sides, and the difference was a couple plays here and there. We're happy to get out of here with a win. Portland is a good team," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle added.

Starting a three-game road trip and playing a second straight game without forward Shawn Marion (left oblique strain), the Mavericks found themselves missing their best perimeter defender early. But also for the second consecutive game, the Mavs went to an assertive Caron Butler on the offensive end at the onset. The opening quarter certainly had a playoff-like feel, including heated tempers and a scrum between Dallas' Eduardo Najera and former Mav Juwan Howard, who was assessed a technical foul in addition to the offensive foul he picked up for plowing through Najera on the play. Dallas then relied on team defense, taking a 23-18 edge at the end of one.

"The last time we played here, they were just way more physical and they were way more ready," Nowitzki said. "They were more physical, they got every loose ball, and we talked about that -- about how we had to be ready from the jump. And I think we did a better job staying with them today and playing a more physical game. It was great."

Both teams struggled to score in the first quarter, with Dallas shooting 6-of-17 from the floor compared to Portland's 8-for-21. Portland did not score the final 4:03 of the period.

The Blazers continued to let the physically get to them, with Rudy Fernandez drawing a technical in the first minute of the second stanza. Meanwhile, the Mavericks allowed the Blazers to stay in the game, as Dallas missed on its first five shots in the quarter. But Jason Terry's play at both ends and Nowitzki's patented offensive array ignited a Dallas spurt. Nowitzki also passed 21, 000 points for his career in the quarter on a vintage jumper. With the sharpshooter locked and loaded, while Brendan Haywood dominated the interior, the Mavs slowly built up a double-digit lead. That is until seven unanswered Portland points cut the Mavs' advantage to 42-39 entering the half.

The cold shooting continued through the first 24 minutes of play, with the Blazers out-shooting the Mavs 38 percent to 31 percent. Dallas did connect on 18-of-21 at the foul line to take the lead at the midway point. Nowitzki led all scorers with 17 first-half points, while LaMarcus Aldridge's 15 kept Portland close.

Wisely the Mavericks continued to call Nowitzki's number at the beginning of the third, and No. 41 did not disappoint. But fellow All-Star, Brandon Roy, came out of the intermission with a sense of aggression. The combination of Roy and Aldridge sparked a 10-2 Blazers' run to go in front. Portland then emerged with a 59-58 edge heading into the final quarter.

The two teams once again picked up the defensive intensity to begin the fourth. But exchanges by Terry and Fernandez from behind the 3-point arch sparked both teams offensively as well. Then, with Nowitzki and Butler resting on the sidelines, Najera's triple with 6:12 remaining put Dallas back ahead, 67-65. When Butler and Nowitzki returned, the two picked up right where they left off. Portland was then issued its third technical of the night, as Andre Miller's argument with officiating resulted in a point for Dallas with 4:16 remaining.

Dallas' trapping defense not only forced a Roy turnover, it also caused Blazers coach Nate McMillan to earn a technical at the 3:45-mark.

"This time of the year, you're going to see this style of basketball," McMillan would say later. "We talked about that, expect it where it's going to be a physical game, a grind-game. Every possession is important."

Then Nowitzki sunk a dagger, swishing in a three with 2:43 left to put Dallas up 77-68. But Aldridge's transition three-point play with 1:35 on the clock kept the Blazers close. Nowitzki came right back with a jumper just 25 ticks later, keeping the Mavs up six. Four missed 3-pointers in the final minute by the Blazers secured the Dallas win and handed the Mavs the division crown.

"You play a game in the 70s, and you're looking at a playoff-type game. I love the way we battled. I love the way both teams battled. We really wanted this game tonight and you can tell," Carlisle said when summing up the night.

Nowitzki hit the 40-point plateau while recording his 19th double-double of the season. The nine-time All-Star also nailed 11-of-24 from the floor and a perfect 17-for-17 at the foul line.

"Dirk’s our guy," the coach explained. "We play through him. He's going to make good things happen for us. I thought the key tonight was that we had a lot of other guys step up at critical times."

Butler added 18 points, while Terry finished with 12 off the bench. Though Jason Kidd shot just 1-for-8 on the night, the veteran point guard snatched a team-best 12 rebounds to go along with his six assists.

Aldridge led the Blazers with 27 points, shooting 9-of-20 for the night. But the Mavericks did hold Roy to just 13 points on 4-of-14 from the field.

"Roy is a great player and a lot of times you have to commit two (defenders) to him. When we did, we scrambled, and there were several sequences where there were multiple players on the floor tonight for both teams," Carlisle said.

The Blazers didn't shoot much better than Dallas, connecting on only 36 percent of their shots. The two teams played to a virtual stalemate on the glass, with Portland claiming a 45-43 rebounding edge. Dallas also overcame a 36-18 disadvantage in points in the paint.

"They are obviously not a team you want to see in the playoffs, but if you look at all the teams down there, all the teams are playing well," Nowitzki said about the Blazers and Mavs meeting in the postseason. "It's going to be tough no matter who you see. But it's good for us to get a win against them and we'll see what happens in the playoffs."

The Mavs now journeys down the West Coast for the final two matchups of the road trip. Playing on the second night of the final back-to-back of the season, the Mavericks head into Sacramento to play the Kings on Saturday night. Dallas will be looking for the sweep, leading the season series 3-0. The Mavericks-Kings matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 9 p.m. CT.

Dallas concludes the road trip against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center on Monday night. The Mavs can also sweep that season series, after winning the first two games against the Clippers. That game will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD and nationally on NBA TV at 9:30 p.m. CT.

The team returns to the American Airlines Center for the final regular season game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 14. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

Mavericks-Trail Blazers Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs' Rip City curse, Division title on the line
Dallas Mavericks (51-27) at Portland Trail Blazers (48-30)

There's no time to stop and smell the flowers for the Dallas Mavericks. The team has a daunting task ahead as it enters the Rose Garden on Friday night.

With an opportunity to clinch the Southwest Division, while also trying to stay in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the West, the Mavericks begin a three-game road trip in Portland against a Trail Blazers squad that has beaten Dallas in each of the three games between the teams this season. The Mavs are determined not to drop the fourth and final regular season meeting, in a possible opening round playoff series preview.

"It's the bottom line, they beat us three times. For us, at this point in the season, it's not about 3-0 or 4-0. It's about us getting better for the next step," point guard Jason Kidd said.

In addition to getting better, the Mavs would also like to return the favor, after a 101-89 loss in Portland on March 25. In that game, the Blazers held the Mavericks to just 35 second-half points. Portland also took Kidd out of the game by focusing on eliminating the Dallas fast-break attack. The result was a 16-0 edge in transition scoring for the Blazers.

"We had zero fast break points and they had 16. To me, that means two things -- you need to get more stops to get in transition to get quality looks at the basket and we never had them under 50 percent (shooting) the whole game," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "That was a problem for our running game. When you get beat 16 to nothing on the break, it's tough to win."

"They did a good job of jamming the ball and taking that aspect (transition offense) of the game away," Kidd added. "Also, when you make shots, that takes away the running game. So, lesson learned, and we have to understand what we have to do next time and that's a big part of our game -- getting out and running."

Wednesday night's 110-84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies is a good blueprint for success. Coming off of back-to-back losses at the American Airlines Center, the Mavs responded with an all-around team defensive effort. Most impressively, the Mavericks put together the performance on the defensive end despite playing without forward Shawn Marion. The two-time All-Star sat out the game with a left oblique muscle strain. Marion did however practice with the team on Thursday, though his status for Friday night is unclear.

With a scrambling defensive unit, the Mavericks made up for Marion's absence by forcing 20 Memphis turnovers and scoring 30 points off of those miscues.

"We are just trying to bring a lot more energy and buckling down, trying to scramble for 24 seconds. We did a great job of that (against Memphis), collectively," reserve guard J.J. Barea said of the defensive mentality after recording a career-high four steals.

On the other end of the floor, the Mavs will once again be looking for an explosive performance from swingman Caron Butler. The newcomer, who came to the team at the All-Star break, finished with a team-high 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting against Memphis. It was a breakthrough performance for No. 4, who admitted that he is coming out of a shooting slump.

"I was going to make shots, I've just got to continue to take them," Butler said. "I got the ball on the opening play and the rhythm started...I wasn't thinking too much. Just going out there and was taking whatever they gave me."

"I thought (Butler) came out very aggressively and he got us going. With a talent like that, you want him being aggressive, make or miss," Kidd said of his teammate.

Now the Mavericks look for a different result against a Portland squad that they could see again in the postseason.

"They're all potential playoff matchups at this point," Carlisle said.

The team journeys to the West Coast for three games away from Big D, with contests against Portland, Sacramento and the Los Angles Clippers. Friday night's Mavericks-Blazers matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest and nationally on NBA TV at 9 p.m. CT.

"We've got to get them all," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of the road trip. "That's the mind state. But we can't get ahead of ourselves. It's Portland next."

The team returns to the American Airlines Center for the final regular season game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 14. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Trail Blazers Recap

(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs get ran out of the Rose Garden
Dallas Mavericks 89 at Portland Trail Blazers 101

After losing two home games by a combined six points to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Dallas Mavericks entered the Rose Garden with one goal: Returning the favor.

Not so fast, my friend.

(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Blazers had something else in mind. Instead of relinquishing a victory to the Mavs, Portland won their third of four matchups in the season series. This time with a wider margin of victory. In a game full of runs, the Blazers saved their best spurt for the final stretch while the Mavericks fizzled in a 101-89 defeat.

"(The Blazers) played well and we need to play better, I think it comes down to that," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the loss. "I think tonight they were more aggressive in the second half and they did a great job defensively down the stretch."

"It's the bottom line, they beat us three times. For us, at this point in the season, it's not about 3-0 or 4-0. It's about us getting better for the next step, and I think we can look at this game and understand that next season this is how teams will play us. It's good that it happened now and not next season," point guard Jason Kidd said.

Playing before a nationally televised audience, the Mavericks sought their revenge as they began a two-game road trip. After scoring the first six points of the night, the Mavs appeared to be well on their way to retribution. But the Blazers returned fire with eight unanswered. Portland then would go in front by as much as nine in the opening period behind the inside duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby. The Mavericks would rally behind Brendan Haywood's inside play at both ends of the court play. Haywood, who came off the bench for the second straight game behind starting center Erick Dampier, handled the interior while fellow newcomer Caron Butler provided Dallas' perimeter scoring. Still, the Blazers' 12 free throw attempts, compared to zero trips to the line for the Mavs, had Portland in front 32-27 after one.

"They did a good job of jamming and stopping us early and keeping the pace of the game, which you've got to give them credit for that," forward Shawn Marion said.

Both teams shot lights-out in the first quarter, as Dallas hit on 13-of-23 from the field, and Portland connected on 12-of-22.

Haywood continued to be the story early in the second period, patrolling the paint for defensive rejections and two-hand dunks on the offensive end. The 7-footer then got help from Kidd, as the 37-year-old swished in shots from behind the 3-point arch. But the Blazers combated the Mavs' inside-outside play with an 8-0 run. That's when Butler took over the scoring load for the Mavericks, scoring eight straight Dallas points. Still, Brandon Roy's driving layup with 1.9 ticks left in the half gave Portland a 60-54 edge heading into the intermission.

The hot-shooting first half continued throughout the first 24 minutes of play, as the Mavs shot 53 percent while the Blazers nailed 56 percent of their shots. Butler led all scorers at the midway mark with 16 points, while Aldridge's 14 paced Portland.

(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Carlisle liked what he saw from Haywood in the first two quarters, so the former North Carolina product got the start in the second half. With the new five-man unit, the Mavericks quickly knotted the game at 60-all with the first six points of the third quarter. Just like the beginning of the game, Portland answered once again, this time with a 12-0 run of its own. Fittingly, the Mavericks immediately tallied up seven straight points in response. The two teams then settled down, with Dallas remaining close behind threes from Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. By quarter's end, the Mavericks still found themselves down 80-75 heading into the fourth.

"They took us out of a lot of stuff, and we need to be more aggressive offensively, execute better and work to create shots," Carlisle said.

As he had the entire night, Butler tried to create shots while putting the squad on his back early in the final period. But despite No. 4's best efforts, the Blazers sprinted to a double-digit advantage behind Aldridge and Andre Miller. Portland's lead reached as much as 13 down the stretch, before Carlisle pulled his key contributors in the final minute. The Blazers finished the game on a 19-9 run.

"They were extremely aggressive, particularly in the fourth," the coach added. "It's frustrating to our team when we're unable to get clean looks at the basket."

After the hot start, the Mavericks finished the night shooting 44 percent. Meanwhile, the Blazers shot 50 percent. Albeit in a losing effort, the Mavericks did knock down 9-of-22 from behind the arch. Dallas also held a 39-36 rebounding edge. But the Blazers' 44-34 advantage in points in the paint was crucial. Most importantly, Portland grounded Dallas' fast-breaking attack, as the Blazers outscored the Mavericks 16-0 in transition points.

"We had zero fast break points and they had 16. To me, that means two things -- you need to get more stops to get in transition to get quality looks at the basket and we never had them under 50 percent the whole game. That was a problem for our running game. When you get beat 16 to nothing on the break, it's tough to win," Carlisle explained.

"They did a good job of jamming the ball and taking that aspect (fast break offense) of the game away," Kidd added. "Also, when you make shots, that takes away the running game. So, lesson learned, and we have to understand what we have to do next time and that's a big part of our game -- getting out and running."

Butler's game-high 25 points on 11-of-19 from the field kept the Mavericks in contention all night, but in the fourth the two-time All-Star got little help. Marion (15), Nowitzki (15), Kidd (11) and Terry (11) gave the team five double-figure scorers.

Aldridge led the Blazers with 20 points. The combination of Aldridge and Camby tallied 37 points and 21 rebounds, doing damage in the painted area. After his 52-point effort in Portland's 114-112 overtime win in Dallas on Jan. 30, Miller followed it up with a double-double, scoring 19 points and shelling out 10 assists.

The Mavericks get their final regular season chance at handing the Blazers a loss back in the Rose Garden on April 9.

"We just need to learn from it and give them credit, they took this one," Marion said. "We need to come back here (April 9), and that's how you got to look at it.

Now the Mavericks try to get back in the win column when they conclude their mini road trip in Oakland on Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors. The two teams have split the first two games of the season series, with each squad winning on the other team's home floor. The game will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 7:30 p.m. CT.

The squad returns to the American Airlines Center on Monday night when they host the Denver Nuggets. The Mavs and Nuggets have split the first two games of the season series. That matchup will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Trail Blazers Preview

(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Possible playoff preview in Rip City
Dallas Mavericks (47-24) at Portland Trail Blazers (42-29)

The Dallas Mavericks don't expect to finish too many games without Dirk Nowitzki on the court. But if the Mavericks have to, as they did in Tuesday's 106-96 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers, then they know they're in good hands with Jason Kidd.

With Nowitzki ejected for just the third time in his career at the 9:16-mark of the third quarter, Kidd celebrated his 37th birthday by festively scoring a season-high 26 points, dishing out 12 assists and grabbing six rebounds to lead the Mavs to the W. The 10-time All-Star also connected on 6-of-11 from 3-point range, the most he's tallied from behind the arch in a game this season.

"With Dirk out, I thought I'd play Dirk," Kidd said. "I didn't want a bad birthday, so I was going to take the blame if we lost with my offensive output."

(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)

"I thought (Kidd) willed the team with his energy and his enthusiasm," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of the future Hall of Famer's performance. "He got guys engaged and it wasn't just playmaking -- it was shotmaking, it was assists, it was defensive plays, it was giving guys confidence out there."

Now the Mavericks will once again need Kidd at his best, with Nowitzki back in action, against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden to start a two-game road trip.

As the two teams battle for playoff positioning, it is possible that the Mavs and Blazers could meet in an opening postseason series. If that's the case then the Mavericks would really like to make a statement, after dropping the first two games to the Blazers this season at the American Airlines Center by a total of six points.

"We haven't beat them all year, so this is a big game for us," sixth man Jason Terry said of the matchup.

Big game is right.

The Blazers have won eight of their last 10 games and four straight at home. But Portland still only sits in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks enter Thursday with the two seed, but they are locked in a dogfight with the Denver Nuggets for the second spot in the standings. With the contest against the Blazers and Saturday's road game against the Golden State Warriors, the squad is doing its best not to look ahead to Monday night's date at home against the Nuggets.

"Looking at Golden State and then Denver - so a big three-game stretch for us and we want to win them all," Terry added.

But winning all three games starts with slowing down a Portland squad that has out-executed the Mavericks down the stretch of the first two meetings. In the Mavs' 85-81 loss on Dec. 22, it was Brandon Roy that torched the Dallas defense for 10 of his team-high 23 points in the fourth to lead the Blazers to the victory. That was nothing compared to Andre Miller's career-high 52 points against the Mavs, with Roy sidelined due to a hamstring injury, to help the Blazers to a 114-112 overtime win on Jan. 30.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)
Miller's performance was the third-best by any scorer against the Mavericks in franchise history, and his 22 made field goals is an American Airlines Center record.

"Guys in this league, when they get in a groove, they can have special nights like that," Carlisle said of Miller's night. "We tried a lot of different guys on him...He played a phenomenal game. Guys like him get the rolls. A lot of those hung on the rim and went in. So, you have to give him his due. It was a phenomenal effort. We obviously didn't do a good job on him."

Now the Mavericks try to do a better job defensively on Miller and Roy, coming off of a fourth quarter performance that held the Clippers in check. Dallas outscored L.A. 30-19, holding the Clippers to just 5-of-22 shooting in the final quarter. According to Kidd, the defense will once again be the key come Thursday night.

"We're a pretty good team when we get defensive stops," the veteran point guard said.

Beginning a two-game expedition on the road, the Mavs travel to meet the Blazers in front of a national audience. The game will be televised nationally on TNT, airing at 9:30 p.m. CT.

The Mavericks return to the American Airlines Center on Monday night when they host the Nuggets. The squads have split the first two games of the season series. That matchup will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Trail Blazers-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Portland Trail Blazers 114 at Dallas Mavericks 112 F/OT

The Dallas Mavericks entered their matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers looking to avenge an 85-81 home loss on Dec. 22.

After Andre Miller's performance on Saturday night left the Mavericks scratching their heads, the December loss was the furthest thing from their minds.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

With Portland's All-Star guard Brandon Roy out with a hamstring injury, Miller showed up and showed out. Hitting on 22-of-31 shots he hoisted up, the veteran point guard poured in a career-high 52 points to power the Blazers to a 114-112 overtime win on Dallas' home floor, yet again. Though they had their chance to win, Miller was simply too much for the Mavericks down the stretch.

"Guys in this league, when they get in a groove, they can have special nights like that," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of Miller's night. "We tried a lot of different guys on him...He played a phenomenal game. On nights like tonight, guys like him get the rolls. A lot of those hung on the rim and went in. So, you have to give him his due. It was a phenomenal effort. We obviously didn't do a good job on him."

"I've had a few heated nights in my career, but I think this was one of those nights where I just didn't stop shooting," Miller said of his career outing, eclipsing his previous career-high of 37.

The Mavericks were a little shorthanded as well, playing without reserve big man Tim Thomas after the veteran left the team for personal reasons. With no Thomas coming off of the bench, Carlisle needed more from his starting unit. Behind a quick start from forwards Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs came out of the gates sprinting. But Miller ran the pick-and-roll to perfection with big man LaMarcus Aldridge in the opening quarter, powering Portland to a 26-21 edge after one.

"A poor start to the game defensively," the coach said plainly.

Playing without Thomas, big man Drew Gooden and rookie Rodrigue Beaubois sparked the Mavericks' second string to begin the second stanza. Also providing fireworks was forward Eduardo Najera, who saw his first game action since returning to the team via a Jan. 11 trade with New Jersey. The fan favorite got the hometown faithful out of their seats with a 3-pointer, putting the Mavs ahead 32-29 with 6:42 remaining in the first half. But the second quarter was all about Josh Howard, raining in 14 points with an array of shots to lift his team to a 47-44 lead heading into halftime.

The Blazers out-shot the Mavericks, connecting on 47 percent of their shots compared to Dallas' 44 percent shooting in the half. But Dallas held the scoring edge at the midway point despite Miller's 19 first half points.

"It all started with easy layups that got him going," Nowitzki said of Miller's early scoring attack.

Miller continued his scoring assault on the Dallas defense to start the third quarter. As they did in first quarter, the Mavericks countered with more Nowitzki and Marion in the halfcourt. But the Mavericks' offense was out of sorts, causing Nowitzki to succumb to the frustration, as the superstar was assessed a technical foul at the 1:06-mark of the quarter. Meanwhile, Aldridge came on strong in the period, giving the Blazers a seven-point edge before J.J. Barea's buzzer-beating three cut the deficit to 73-69 heading into the fourth. The Mavericks shot just 7-for-19, as Portland outscored Dallas 29-22 in the third.

"In the fourth quarter, it was just make something happen. We really didn't look great (in the third) and we were down," Nowitzki said.

With his team down, Nowitzki attempted to rally the troops. But Miller and Steve Blake continued to keep the Mavs at bay. Despite the best efforts of Portland's backcourt, the Mavericks knotted the game at 88-all on a driving score by Jason Terry with 5:09 remaining. The two teams then exchanged jabs, and the lead, like prize fighters, as Nowitzki and Miller refused to let their teams lose.

Nowitzki got a little help from Jason Kidd, as the veteran lead guard knocked home a three to put Dallas ahead 97-96 with 1:48 remaining. Miller came right back with a three-point play. The game was once again tied at 99-all when Nowitzki sent Aldridge to the line with 59.0 ticks left in regulation, but the big man went 0-for-2 at the charity stripe. After collecting the rebound, the Mavericks went to their go-to guy, and Nowitzki once again thrived. No. 41 swished home a patented jumper to put his team ahead two with 41.9 seconds on the game clock.

After a Portland timeout, Marion was called for a foul, sending Miller to the line where he calmly tied the game once again. Matched up one-on-one with Aldridge, Nowitzki got the ball on the right elbow, but Aldridge poked the All-Star forward in the eye. Back at the line with 26.8 seconds, Nowitzki nailed a pair of clutch free throws, as the Mavericks went back ahead on the scoreboard. But as he had all night long, Miller brought his team back, this time connecting on a running hook to tie the game at 103-all.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

As they have his whole career, the Mavericks expected another game-winner from Nowitzki, but No. 41's go-ahead shot attempt bounced off of the iron and into Juwan Howard's hands with 1.3 ticks left for Portland to end things.

"I had a good look at the game-winner. It's a shot that I've got to make," Nowitzki said.

After a timeout, the Blazers went to Aldridge, but the big man's fadeaway jumper hit the front of the rim as time expired.

"You can't let teams hang around at home, you can't turn it into a shot-making contest," the coach said. "We can't be adrenaline junkies and take it down to the last possession every night. We should be a better basketball team than that."

The extra period began with a three from Miller, as his career night continued. The veteran point guard hit the 50-point mark on a jumper with 3:21 left in the overtime.

"I didn't look at it as scoring the ball, but just going out and making plays and being the point guard," Miller said. "The shots came, and since they were going in, I was just going to keep shooting."

But a three from Terry and Kidd's tip-in had the Mavs in front 112-108 with 2:22 on the clock. After a pair of free throws from Jerryd Bayless, Miller knotted the game again with a driving score. Portland then surged ahead on Howard's jumper with 44.9 seconds remaining. The Blazers then forced a Nowitzki miss, grabbing the rebound and calling timeout with 20.3 seconds left.

But the Dallas defense held its ground, forcing a Blake miss from 3-point range. Barea grabbed the subsequent rebound and called timeout with just 3.2 seconds available for a tying shot. Again the Mavericks went to Nowitzki, but his shot over Nicolas Batum rimmed in and rolled out as time expired.

"In overtime, the same thing," Nowitzki added. "I had a couple of good shots. This is definitely a tough one to swallow."

"You're going to have nights when it comes down to the last shot and you don't make it. But the question you've got to ask is, 'Is that the play to reflect on or is it a total of a lot of other things going on that put you in that position?' In my view, it's a lot of other things going on," Carlisle concluded.

The game finished with 20 ties and 13 lead changes. The Mavericks are now 3-3 in overtime games.

Miller's output is the third best performance against the Mavericks in the team's history, and his 22 made field goals is an American Airlines Center record.

"It seemed like Miller got to the basket whenever he wanted," Nowitzki summed up the night.

Nowitzki finished with a team-high 28 points to lead six Mavericks in double figures. Terry (18), Howard (17), Barea ((13), Marion (12) and Kidd all scored in double figures. Kidd also record his 14th double-double of the season, dishing out 10 assists, albeit in a loss. Kidd's assists total was one more than Portland's entire team, as most of the Blazers' offense was Miller's scoring.

Aldridge added 21 points as four Blazers scored in double figures.

Portland finished the night out-shooting Dallas 54 percent to 47 percent, though the Mavs hit 7-of-14 from behind the arch. The Mavericks did out-rebound the Blazers 42-39 and the Dallas bench outscored Portland's reserves 44-18. But it wasn't enough to overcome a 60-46 points in the paint differential in the Blazers' favor.

Now, the Mavericks head back out on the road and touch down in Salt Lake City on Monday for a battle with the Utah Jazz. The two teams have split the first two games of the season series, with the Jazz most recently leaving Dallas with a 111-93 win on Jan. 9. The Mavericks-Jazz matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 8 p.m. CT.

"Utah's a tough place to play," Nowitzki said. "They're really starting to play better...I think they're really starting to come along, and really being the force at home that they really have been the last couple of years.

"It's a tough building to play in, but we've usually been good at recovering from losses and turning losses into something positive."

Dallas returns home to host the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Mavericks will be out to avenge a 111-103 home loss on Nov. 24.

For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Trail Blazers-Mavericks Preview

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Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Portland Trail Blazers (27-21) at Dallas Mavericks (30-16)

Saturday night's matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers figures to look much differently than the first time the two teams met this season.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Losing a hard fought Dec. 22 contest 85-81 on their home floor, the Mavericks understand that they can not drop both home games against the Blazers. Fortunately for Dallas, the two teams look a little differently these days.

"They're different," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of the Portland squad. "In the last eight to 10 days, they've kind of redeveloped a style."

The Blazers are certainly different because they are playing without leading scorer Brandon Roy (right hamstring), who scored 23 points in the December meeting. Roy took over that game late, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter to help his team escape the American Airlines Center floor with a win. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have inserted guard Jason Terry into the starting lineup, getting instant scoring from last season's Sixth Man of the Year. Dallas' newly appointed starter says it is important that the Mavericks come out and send a message early on Saturday.

"For us, it's all about how we come out and play. We're a beast if we can come out and jump on a team early," Terry said.

With no Roy in the lineup, Portland has had other players step up and rally in the All-Star's absence. After battling through an early season injury-riddled stage, the Blazers are proving that they are more than a one-man show.

"They're a little different (without Roy), but they play harder," Terry said. "This is another opportunity for guys to step up in his absence...These guys are basically hired guns. They come out and shot to kill. And you never know what to expect out of them."

Still, the Blazers have dropped three straight games, and the Mavericks would love to hand them their fourth consecutive loss.

"They're a team that's going to play a precise game, not matter who they have. And you better play a precise game, both defensively and offensively, and bring the effort or they're going to be tough to play."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Mavericks will be looking to combat Portland's versatile style with a more assertive effort coming from the Dallas bench. The reserves have struggled since Terry moved to the first unit, taking with him the vast majority of the scoring from the Mavericks' second-stringers. It is certainly an area of concern for Carlisle and his coaching staff.

"We've just got to make sure that whoever is in the game, we're playing with the right level of intensity and the right disposition. With JET (Terry) in the starting lineup, it's taken a little bit of our scoring away from our bench, obviously.

"But, you know, we've got Josh (Howard), J.J. (Barea), (Drew) Gooden, Roddy (Beaubois) and a bunch of other guys sitting over there that are good players. Whoever goes in the game, we need them to play the game -- when the shots are there you step into them, when they're not you move it again...We've got to have everybody playing at a high level."

The Mavericks host Portland on Saturday night, with the game will airing locally on TXA 21, TXA HD and HD NET at 8 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Trail Blazers Recap

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Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Portland Trail Blazers 85 at Dallas Mavericks 81

For the better part of a game and a half, the Dallas Mavericks played without their leader Dirk Nowitzki.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Tuesday night, the Mavericks got their leading-scorer back on the court as Nowitzki battled through a deeply lacerated elbow injury to led his team against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Mavericks entered the night having won the last 11 meetings with the Blazers at home and 18 of the last 20 matchups in total. With his shooting arm heavily bandaged, No. 41 made a triumphant return to the Mavericks' starting lineup with a game-high 27 points but his team was unable to continue the trend against the Blazers, falling 85-81 after a 39-percent shooting night.

"(The bandage on his right arm) was pretty big, but I have to admit it felt pretty good," Nowitzki said after the game about playing with the injury. "I was not really worried about getting the ball up or shooting, it was more hitting it.

"But it's a tough loss. As good a team as we are, we should have found a way to win this game. There's no way we should have loss that game tonight. We held a Portland team too 85 points, you figure if they put 85 on the board we'll find a way to get 90. I don't think our defense was bad...We lost that game on offense."

Aside from an explosive third quarter from Dallas, Portland kept the Mavericks' scoring to a minimum. On a night where only two Mavs, Nowitzki and J.J. Barea, scored in double figures, the Mavs struggled to duplicate the balanced scoring that helped Dallas overtake Cleveland 102-95 just two nights before.

"You can't play one good quarter of basketball and expect to win an NBA game," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "It just doesn't work that way."

"I don't know if guys relaxed too much when I was (on the court), but they looked good the other night," Nowitzki said after his teammates weren't as aggressive in his return as they were in his absence.

Matched up with the Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge, Nowitzki let the game come to him early on. But with the team struggling to produce points and forward Shawn Marion in early foul trouble, Dallas turned to their superstar to provide the scoring in the opening period and Nowitzki gladly obliged with six points. At the 3:12-mark of the quarter, the injury-riddled Blazers took another blow when Joel Przybilla was assisted off the court by teammates with a ruptured patella tendon and dislocated patella in his right knee. Meanwhile, Aldridge and Brandon Roy had Portland covered, lifting the Blazers to an 18-14 advantage after one. Both teams struggled putting the ball in the basket early, as the Blazers' 33 percent from the field was just better than Dallas' 26 percent shooting.

"It's disappointing, especially at home," Barea said. "We just didn't come out well. They were playing harder than us."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

With Nowitzki on the bench, Josh Howard and Barea picked up the pace and put Dallas ahead in the early minutes of the second quarter. But Dallas had no answer defensively for Aldridge, as the big man poured in 11 of his 17 first half points in the second quarter to take the Blazers to a 44-33 halftime lead.

The 33-point output was a season-low for a half, as the Mavericks shot just 33 percent in the first 24 minutes. Though Portland shot just 39 percent at the other end, Aldridge's scoring and an 11-4 edge in second chance points was plenty to build the double-digit lead.

"We just never were quite right all night and Portland took advantage of it," Carlisle said. "Aldridge had a great first half and then other guys got into it the rest of the game."

The Mavericks found the shooting touch in the third quarter while clamping down on defense, using a 16-6 run at the beginning of the period to cut the deficit to 50-49 with 7:00 left in the third on Barea's driving layup. The speedy guard then gave the Mavs a slight advantage, 55-54, on another drive at the 4:31-mark. The quarter was all about Barea and Nowitzki, as the two each posted 11 points in the period. When the cat-quick combo guard headed to the bench, Nowitzki took over the scoring load as Dallas outscored Portland 32-14 in the quarter to take a 65-58 edge into the fourth.

"I was just trying to attack," Barea said of his play in the third quarter. "I take what the defense gives me. Sometimes I have to shoot, sometimes I get to the paint and see somebody open and I'll pass it. If I've got to shoot it, I'll shoot it. If I have to pass it, I'll pass it.

"I think in the third quarter, we got fast. We attacked the paint in the third quarter and it was working out. Then we had a letdown in the fourth quarter."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Roy and his patented step-back jumper put the Blazers back on top, playing like the All-Star that he is to help the Blazers retake the lead midway through the fourth quarter. Getting help from Steve Blake and Jerryd Bayless, Roy and the Blazers sprinted to an 81-73 advantage with 3:48 remaining.

"Roy hit some big shots down the stretch. They chipped away at us. Blake hit a three. Bayless hit a three. Juwan Howard goes for 10 points. And so, it's just a combination of things adding up," Carlisle said.

But Dallas wouldn't go quietly into the night, as Nowitzki brought his squad back by raining in a 3-pointer with 1:16 on the clock to cut the deficit to 83-81. After getting a defensive stop, No. 41's game-tying shot attempt rimmed in and rolled out with 38.9 ticks left.

"I feel like when I'm there, I have to make every shot down the stretch to win the game," Nowitzki said. "Myself, I still have to make that shot. The pull-up I had to tie it going left, I have to find a way to tie it."

Down two, the Mavericks received a major scare when point guard Jason Kidd hit the court hard contesting Roy's shot attempt. While Kidd lay in pain, Jason Terry took the rebound from the missed shot and sprinted back to the other end, but his driving layup rolled off the iron and Portland snatched the rebound with 6.8 seconds remaining.

"Kidd is down. It probably would have been wiser to call timeout, but hey, we've been good on the fly before -- getting a stop and then being aggressive in transition. So, we can't really fault Jet (Terry) on that. He made an aggressive play, got to the basket and then just didn't get the roll. Afterwards you're always smarter, and it probably would have been better to pull the ball out, get a timeout and set the play up and try to tie the game up," Nowitzki said of the final seconds.

"I'm the head coach, so I'm accountable for the result of that play," Carlisle said. "The fact that we didn't call time out is on me. I take responsibility for that, so that's my fault."

Kidd remained in the game, but Terry's foul on Andre Miller sent the Blazers' point guard to the free throw line with 6.5 seconds on the game clock. The veteran calmly knocked down a pair to extend the Portland lead to 85-81. After Terry's desperation attempt at the other end missed the rim, the Blazers ran the clock out to end their winless streak in Dallas. Portland outscored the Mavericks 27-16 in the fourth.

There is no injury to report on Kidd.

In addition to Nowitzki's 27 points, on 10-of-13 shooting, the 7-footer grabbed nine rebounds while playing 41 minutes in his return. Barea finished with 22 points. The rest of the team combined to score 32 points on 12-of-51 shooting. Dallas also struggled from the foul line, hitting just 12-for-22 at the charity stripe, while Portland capitalized off of their freebies by hitting 16-of-19 from the line.

Aldridge scored just two points in the second half to bring his total to 19 points, to go along with 12 rebounds. But Roy scored 10 of his team-high 23 points in the fourth to lead the Blazers to the victory.

Now the Mavericks will try to correct things over the Christmas holiday before welcoming in divisional foe Memphis on Saturday afternoon. Dallas will try to avenge a 98-82 road loss to the Grizzlies on Dec. 4.

"They're really playing well," Nowitzki said of the upstart Grizzlies squad. "They've got three legit scorers with (Zach) Randolph, (Rudy) Gay and obviously (O.J.) Mayo. They really took it to us in Memphis, played a good game and beat us.

"We have to be ready, but this one is going to be a tough one to swallow. I'll probably sit with this one for three days. Over the Christmas break, sitting with a loss is awful. It's something you want to avoid but you can't change it now...Try to enjoy Christmas with the family and then come ready on the 26th in an early game."

That game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 2:00 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.

Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Trail Blazers Preview

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Portland Trail Blazers (17-12) at Dallas Mavericks (20-8)

If the role players for the Dallas Mavericks have learned anything in the wake of Dirk Nowitzki suffering a deeply lacerated elbow injury last Friday night, it's be prepared because your number can be called at any point and time.

After Tim Thomas' 22-point effort while starting for Nowitzki in a 102-95 win over Cleveland on Sunday night, that point was reaffirmed.

"Injuries are a part of this league," point guard Jason Kidd said after the team's Tuesday morning shootaround. "More than anything, (role players) have to be professionals and ready at any time because they can be called on."

Someone else may be called on Tuesday night as the Mavericks host the Portland Trail Blazers. Dallas' depth may once again play a big role with Nowitzki's status for the game still unclear.

"(Nowitzki) is doing better but it's going to be a game-time decision," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "If there's no infection and everything checks out, it will probably be up to him. But we'll know more tonight."

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Bottling up Roy tops Dallas' to-do list

After proving that they are more than just a one-man team against Cleveland, the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks are preparing to win their second straight without their leading-scorer. Enter perhaps the perfect opponent, as the Mavericks have won the last 11 meetings with the Blazers in Dallas. The Mavs have taken 18 of the last 20 games with the team from the Northwest Division.

The key to Dallas running their winning streak against Portland at home to 12 will be stopping swingman Brandon Roy. The versatile guard is one of the upper-echelon stars in the league, though he is not as heralded.

"(Roy) is a great player, though he may not be quite up there with LeBron James or Dwyane Wade," Kidd said. "But as we've seen, he can take over a game in the fourth quarter like he did in Miami."

Roy nailed three 3-pointers in the last 4 1/2 minutes of a 102-95 road win against the Heat on Sunday. The All-Star scored 28 points on the night.

"We're going to have to have a lot of different guys ready to guard (Roy). We're going to have to have our team defense geared towards containing him, because one guy can't do it -- you just simply can't. He's a perennial All-Star player, he's a perennial All-NBA guy and he's a great guy in crunch time."

Portland has been decimated by injuries, mainly to the former No. 1 overall draft pick, the 7-foot Greg Oden, and to Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillian.

McMillian had surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon in his right foot after participating in practice to give his injury-plagued team 10 men for five-on-five scrimmages.

The Blazers will be without Oden (fractured patella) for the remainder of the season and without reserve Nicolas Batum (shoulder) for most of the year.

"If you look at their situation, they were so banged up that the coach had to practice, and then he went down," Carlisle said.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
LaMarcus Aldridge is a versatile big man

"(The Oden injury) takes a dominate, athletic center out of the equation. But they make up for it with (Joel Przybilla), who is one of the best defensive centers in the league. And then they can slide (LaMarcus Aldridge) up to the five, which causes matchup problems. Aldridge is going to be an All-Star in this league, we all know that."

Dallas will try to keep Aldridge and the Roy-led Blazers under wraps in the third game of the Mavs' four-game home stand. It is the first meeting between the two squads this season. The game will air locally on TXA 21, TXA HD and HD NET at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.

Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks Practice Report (12/21/09)

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Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavericks Practice Report (12/21/09)

The Dallas Mavericks have a message to the rest of the NBA: Sunday night was no fluke.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

With leading-scorer Dirk Nowitzki sidelined due to a deeply lacerated right elbow, the veteran Mavericks didn't miss a beat as they used a complete team effort to defeat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-95 on the American Airlines Center floor. As six Mavs scored in double figures, led by forward Tim Thomas' 22 points after being inserted into the starting lineup in place of Nowitzki, the Mavericks proved to the rest of the league that Dallas is not a one-man team.

A strong effort on defense in the fourth quarter, holding James to just two of his 25 points in the final period, coupled with balanced scoring lifted Dallas to the win. Now, with Nowitzki's status still unknown for Dallas' game on Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Mavericks are preparing for an encore performance against Brandon Roy and company.

"It was a good win for us," center Erick Dampier said after the team's Monday practice. "It just shows that even though our best player is out of the lineup, we still have guys that can step up and give us quality minutes and give us the scoring we need."

"It was a team effort last night. We went out there and got the job done defensively, got rebounds and got stops. We were able to put the ball in the basket and we played good last night."

The Mavericks have talked about their depth since Training Camp, but Sunday it was truly on display. Though Mavs coach Rick Carlisle decided to play just an eight-man rotation against the Cavaliers, he certainly got his full use out of all of his players in the win.

With guys available at the coach's disposal nightly that have played in big games, balancing playing time for a team this deep is a nice problem to have, according to Carlisle.

"That's why we put the team together the way that we did, because we felt we had to have a lot of depth and a lot of protection because you go through injuries," Carlisle said. "You have to have other guys ready to step up."

"All of our guys played well. Some nights it will be eight, some nights it will be nine or 10, but whoever is on the floor has got to give us great effort and they have to bring to the table what they do -- if it's a shooter, or driver or whatever. But everyone on the floor has got to give us defense."

Dallas certainly received a strong effort defensively from their full compliment of players against James and the Cavs. A defensive disposition is one that Carlisle feels his team can not lose, especially with Roy, one of the league's most dangerous scorers, coming in town.

"The improvements in our team this year has been more about better things we're doing at the defensive end, and we have to stick with that," Carlisle said. "Shot-making can come and go, but your defense can hold you in games and give you a chance to win if you're not making it."

The Mavericks admit that Roy presents different challenges than James, though he may not equal the reigning MVP in talent. But after limiting James' scoring opportunities down the stretch to claim then win, Dallas is fairly confident that they can contain the league's ninth-leading scorer.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"They're both great players, LeBron James and Roy," Carlisle said. "We're going to have to have a lot of different guys ready to guard him. We're going to have to have our team defense geared towards containing him, because one guy can't do it -- you just simply can't. He's a perennial All-Star player, he's a perennial All-NBA guy and he's a great guy in crunch time."

"Brandon Roy is not LeBron James, so we'll approach him differently. He's the best player on their team, so he's going to take shots. He's not really a post-up guy. We just have to give him different looks, blitz him on picks, make him find other guys and make them be play-makers. He's the best player on their team, we just have to find a way to get him under control," Dampier said.

Dallas will try to keep Roy under control when the Blazers head into Dallas for the third game of the Mavs' four-game home stand. Though he is still listed as questionable, the Mavericks could have Nowitzki back in action as soon as Tuesday night. That game will air locally on TXA 21, TXA HD and HD NET at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.

Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.