(Photo by Steve Dykes/USA TODAY Sports)
Uncomfortable ending brings about a much-needed win.
The Portland Trail Blazers had a couple of days to stew over their bad loss in Dallas on Sunday against the Mavericks. With this being an incredibly important home-and-home stretch for both teams, the feeling was the Blazers had to strike back.
Well, they did, albeit letting the Mavericks climb back into it in the closing seconds. The Blazers beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-103 in a contested, competitive game on Wednesday night. The Blazers improve to 37-35 on the season, while the Mavericks fall to 35-36.
Scoreboard watching has become a habit around the league, but especially for the Blazers as they have just ten games remaining in the regular season. With the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and Mavericks fighting for the final three spots of the Western Conference, it seems that each game carries a certain amount of weight for the Blazers.
Portland was handed an opportunity to take one of their competitors out of the equation. Did they still do that? Not quite, but Portland helped themselves. Utah beat Houston and by some miracle Portland still holds control of the sixth seed.
So, what made this game so competitive? At a base level, both teams needed this victory. Portland was searching for one just as much as Dallas needed the victory to stay afloat and they played like it.
Both former Blazer Wesley Matthews and Dirk Nowitzki performed superbly, scoring 22 points and 21 points respectively. Matthews would log 41 minutes, while Dirk would log 36 minutes. It showed just how important this game was to them and with their sharpness and quickness on the defensive end; this was a game they showed up for.
The problem that has plagued Portland in their last few games is the ability to get stops. If it seems as if teams are hitting most of the shots they are putting up, it is because they are and tonight was no different. In the first half, Dallas shot 46 percent from the field, while Portland followed suit with 44 percent from the field as they clung to a four-point lead.
Portland’s unlikely heroes stepped up to the plate. Ed Davis scored 16 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting, while corralling six rebounds. Not only was he cleaning up the glass, but he was finishing through contact and converting on three-point opportunities. It was simply that kind of night for Davis who treated it, in his way, as another day in the office.
Head coach Terry Stotts made a switch to start Mo Harkless over Noah Vonleh and the change paid dividends. Harkless scored ten points in the first half on 4-of-9 shooting en route to his 14-point night. Harkless leaked out in transition and took advantage of his size to attack the baseline and seemingly come out of nowhere to finish up a play over David Lee or Salah Mejri.
Then Portland did something they have not done in their last few outings, they continued the pressure putting together their best third quarter in quite some time. Shooting 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep, the Blazers created separation outscoring the Mavericks by six in the quarter. Dallas simply went ice cold offensively as Mejri and the backcourt of Deron Williams and Raymond Felton combined to 3-of-11 from the field.
After getting torched by Williams in the previous two tilts, Portland finally found defensive schemes that gave their backcourt grief.
But, throughout it all, Dallas never truly went away. With the Blazers up 101-86 with 3:44 remaining, it looked all but wrapped up. Portland just needed to play defense and make one more basket to seal it. However, Dallas had other ideas as they put together a late surge started by two made three-pointers from Matthews and Nowitzki. With 0:55 remaining, the Mavericks were down by just six.
It seemed it was happening again. An out-of-bounds turnover, shaky offense and wispy defense gave Dallas a myriad of chances to keep it close. This culminated in Damian Lillard fouling Williams while he shot a three. Lazy defense and clock-watching bit the Blazers somewhat. It fizzled out as Williams attempted a desperation three-pointer as the clock was winding down, which had no chance of touching rim.
The game was over and Portland could be proud of their hard-fought victory. It was a game of the role players. Lillard finished with 27 points on 9-of-19 shooting, 4-of-9 from three with six rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots, but C.J. McCollum struggled recording just 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting. However, all of the starting line-up scored in double-figures and it was a collective effort.
Despite Al-Farouq Aminu going 3-of-12 from the field he still recorded a ten-point, ten-rebound double-double. It was the little things and the hustle balls that went Portland’s way and, in turn, gave them an important an impressive victory over a Mavericks team teetering on the edge.
But, Portland does not get to celebrate long as they fly to Los Angeles to take on the Los Angeles Clippers tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. PST.
The writer, however, must interject and say that the schedule leaves plenty of time to watch Daredevil with a certain awesome someone. You know who you are.
Stay tuned!