PORTLAND, OR (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 36 factors and 10 assists because the Portland Path Blazers ended their five-game profitable streak with a 136-119 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night time.
Jusuf Nurkic added 22 factors and 11 rebounds for the Blazers, who will face the Mavericks once more on Sunday night time.
Spencer Dinwiddie led Dallas with 25 factors. Luka Doncic dropped 15 factors on the season earlier than Mavericks coach Jason Kidd pulled him down with seven minutes left.
“It feels nice. Whenever you’re attempting to combat to win and also you’re confronted with that form of funk, it simply looks as if it’s going to by no means finish. I have been saying, when your mind is correct and also you’re pushing, everybody pulls the rope in the identical course,” Lillard mentioned of the tip of the dropping streak. Discover your method to the place you wish to go. And sometimes all it takes is one.”
Portland led by as many as 20 factors early within the second half and entered the fourth quarter up 106-90. Nurkic sank to present the Blazers a 116-94 lead with 9:59 left.
Doncic and Lillard received right into a heated alternate earlier than Lillard scored to present the Blazers a 122-102 lead. Tim Hardaway Jr. left the courtroom shortly beforehand and limped into the locker room with what seemed to be an injured left ankle.
The Mavs have already been suffering from accidents, with Josh Inexperienced, Maxi Kleiber and Dorian Feeney Smith all out.
“Hopefully we’ll get nicely quickly, however till then we’ve got to play with the fellows in uniform,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd mentioned.
Lillard began, however was listed as questionable earlier than the sport after rolling his ankle early in Portland’s 119-113 loss to the Cavaliers on Thursday. Lillard got here out and scored 11 factors within the first quarter towards the Mavs.
Dallas was coming off a double-overtime 119-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. The win snapped a two-game dropping skid.
Christian Wooden was dominated out earlier than the match on account of a sore proper ankle. Wooden performed 48 minutes towards the Lakers, scoring 24 factors and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Portland gained a 31-30 benefit after the primary interval. The Mavericks stored it shut by making eight out of 13 3-point makes an attempt.
And he took benefit whereas Doncic was resting within the second quarter, and Shedon Sharp’s three-pointer, Nurkic’s free throw and Portland’s free throw made it 47-36.
Lillard’s 3-pointer put the Blazers forward 65-49 and so they went on to guide 71-56 at halftime. Lillard completed the half with 24 factors, whereas Doncic scored 5.
“We received hacked,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups mentioned. “We performed so much higher. We have been actually, actually aggressive defensively and that form of fueled us.”
Tip-ins
Mavericks: Kidd was requested if he would skip taking part in faculty ball underneath a G-league, like Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy. He joked, “I might have left within the eighth grade.” … Dwight Powell had unhealthy hassle early on, amassing his fourth with 2:48 left within the first half.
Path Blazers: Portland misplaced the primary two video games of the sequence to the Mavericks this season, each in Dallas. Doncic averaged 37.5 factors towards the Blazers. … Along with his fifth help of the night time, Lillard moved into second place on the Blazers’ profession listing, forward of Clyde Drexler. Lillard is already probably the most prolific scorer on the group.
subsequent one:
The Path Blazers and Mavericks meet once more on Sunday night time, finishing the sequence of 4 matches between the 2 groups this season. “One store right here in Portland,” Kidd mentioned. “We’re right here for 2 video games after which we do not see them once more. We’re finished with them the day after tomorrow.”
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