The Dallas Mavericks continued their four-game homestand with the third straight home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Mavericks blew out the Trail Blazers 132-108 at the American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas, Texas. Dallas improved to 19-10, while Portland fell to 9-20. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 27 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
Daniel Gafford followed up with 23 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Kyrie Irving added 20 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Klay Thompson had 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists. PJ Washington Jr. scored 12 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Olivier-Maxence Prosper recorded eight points, five rebounds, and one assist. Quentin Grimes tallied five points, three rebounds, and four assists.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers Recap
The Dallas Mavericks-Portland Trail Blazers game was action-packed from start to finish. The Mavericks ruled out Jaden Hardy with a right ankle sprain, Brandon Williams with a right thumb sprain, and Dante Exum with right wrist surgery. The Trail Blazers ruled out Matisse Thybulle with a right ankle sprain and listed both Dalano Banton with a left hip contusion and Robert Williams II with a left ankle sprain as questionable.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup consisted of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington Jr., and Dereck Lively II. The fans were glad to see the return of the Doncic and Irving duo on the court. The first quarter was a high-scoring affair between the Mavericks and Trail Blazers, thanks to plays, such as Washington Jr.’s three-pointer. The Mavericks barely led 31-28 at the end of the first.
The second quarter saw the Mavericks’ fast start — a 7-0 run — in the opening minutes, on plays, such as Klay Thompson’s made shot. The Trail Blazers tied the game at 38 apiece, but the Mavericks maintained momentum and carried a 62-53 lead to the locker room at halftime. The third quarter saw the Mavericks’ surge, thanks to plays, such as Daniel Gafford’s and-one. The Mavericks took a commanding 102-76 lead through three quarters.
The fourth quarter saw a slow start at first, but the Mavericks picked up the pace, thanks to plays, such as Luka Doncic’s three-pointer. Doncic’s surge swayed the game in the Mavericks’ favor. The Trail Blazers outscored the Mavericks with a massive 32-point fourth-quarter performance, but it was too little, too late. The Mavericks won 132-108 in regulation.
Dallas Mavericks-Portland Trail Blazers Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers game featured multiple highlights, such as the Mavericks’ Quentin Grimes coming a long way from being a big man in high school to the pros. Years before becoming an NBA player, Grimes wrote a stellar resume. He was the first player to letter and start every varsity game as a freshman at The Woodlands College Park, a high school in The Woodlands, Texas. He also earned a 3.38 GPA.
For the Mavericks, Klay Thompson was recently asked about Quentin Grimes’ impact on the Mavericks’ roster. Thompson responded that Grimes has been huge for the Mavericks, especially when they’re short-handed, and has been responsible for a few real performances that helped the team’s current record. Thompson added that Grimes has been a great addition to the Mavericks.
Trail Blazers Head Coach Chauncey Billups reportedly addressed a concern before Portland’s away game against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center on Saturday. Billups had yet to beat Victor Wembanyama and had watched Wembanyama block 14 shots over four matchups in the last two seasons. However, San Antonio dominated for a blowout win over the Trail Blazers, a final score of 114-94.
Final Thoughts
The Dallas Mavericks used a balanced attack to knock off the Los Angeles Clippers 113-97 before a sellout crowd of 20,102 at the American Airlines Center on Saturday. The Mavericks played their second straight game without Doncic who was sidelined with a left heel contusion, but won their 13th game in their last 16 tries as Quentin Grimes was on a heater. Dallas improved to 18-10, while Los Angeles fell to 16-13.
Saturday’s game was the second straight game in which Luka Doncic was sidelined with a left heel contusion. Both games without Doncic were against the Clippers. However, Kyrie Irving, who was sidelined in Thursday’s game with right shoulder soreness, played on Saturday. The Mavericks upended the Clippers on Saturday, but dropped a 118-95 decision to the Clippers on Thursday, which spoke volumes about the Doncic and Irving duo’s power.
The Mavericks will conclude their four-game homestand with the fourth straight home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Central. The Mavericks’ homestand could benefit from home-court advantage, as the Timberwolves could be impacted by jet lag after playing an away game against the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday.
