Trail Blazers-Mavericks Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Feb 11 2012 1:40AM

After improving their road record, the Dallas Mavericks will next try to change their recent fortunes at home.

A visit from the Portland Trail Blazers might help.

As they get set to begin a three-game stay at the American Airlines Center, the Mavericks will attempt to avoid their longest losing streak there in three seasons by taking advantage of the Blazers' struggles away from home Saturday night.

Dallas (16-11) started 2-5 on the road but recorded its fifth win in six games there Friday, 104-97 over Minnesota. Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 33 points and the Mavericks forced 28 turnovers - their most in a game in nearly eight years - while finishing 2-1 on their three-game trip.

Jason Kidd also nearly had his first double-double of the season (eight points, 10 assists) after missing seven games because of a strained right calf.

"He's a big part of our heart and soul. When we're without him, we can win some games but we're not the same team," coach Rick Carlisle said.

Dallas, though, hasn't fared as well lately at home, losing three of five since a seven-game win streak. The Mavericks, though, are out to avoid a three-game skid at American Airlines as Portland (15-12) tries to shake its road funk.

The Blazers are 4-9 on the road, with two of those wins coming against New Orleans, which is a league-worst 2-14 in its building. Jamal Crawford had a season-best 31 points and eight assists against the Hornets on Friday to help his team avoid a season high-tying third straight defeat with a 94-86 victory.

Raymond Felton added 18 points, including four free throws in the final minute.

"Sometimes it's not about how you win but the fact that you win," coach Nate McMillan said. "We did the things we needed to do down the stretch."

While it's succeeded in New Orleans, Portland has dropped 20 of its last 25 games in Dallas in the regular season and playoffs. The Blazers lost all three games there during a 4-2 defeat in last year's Western Conference quarterfinals and have dropped five in a row overall.

The Blazers could use some help from Dallas native LaMarcus Aldridge. The forward has cooled off a little since averaging 27.7 points over a six-game stretch, having scored a combined 27 over the past two games.

Aldridge, though, has usually shined against the Mavericks - his 20.4-point average in the regular season is his best against any Western Conference foe. He's also scored 25.2 points per game during his last five visits to his hometown, including the playoffs.

Nowitzki led the way for the Mavericks during last year's series win with 27.3 points per game. A sore right knee caused him to miss an 84-81 home victory Jan. 4, 2011.

During a rare start, Jason Terry made the clinching basket with 12 seconds remaining and finished with 18 points.

Nowitzki's presence should help in this game as he's averaging 28.0 points on 60.6 percent shooting over the last four contests. The forward has also averaged 25.8 points over his last five regular-season home games against Portland.

Dallas hasn't dropped three straight at home since a four-game skid to open the 2008-09 season.

Nowitzki, Terry lead Mavs over Blazers in 2OT

Posted Feb 12 2012 1:41AM

DALLAS (AP) Delonte West took Jason Kidd's advice, giving the Dallas Mavericks a badly needed late lift.

West scored Dallas' first six points of the second overtime, and the Mavericks held on for a 97-94 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

Dirk Nowitzki's 20 points and Jason Terry's 19 led the Mavs, but West saved them when it mattered most.

West started the second OT in place of Kidd after West played only 15 seconds in the first extra session. The Blazers were double-teaming Nowitzki, giving West more room to look for his shot.

"J-Kidd told me to go out there and be aggressive because of the way they were playing Dirk," said West, who finished with 10 points. "I sparked my team right there in the second overtime."

West hit an 11-footer for Dallas to open the second overtime. West followed with mid-range jumpers on consecutive possessions to give Dallas a 93-89 advantage with 2:55 left.

"He was phenomenal," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of West. "The guy stays ready and he's a money player."

Former Dallas-area high school star LaMarcus Aldridge had 33 points, and Jamal Crawford contributed 19 points for the Trail Blazers.

Shawn Marion had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas, which won its third in a row.

Crawford hit two free throws and Aldridge made a 12-footer with 1:43 remaining in the second extra session to draw Portland even at 93.

But Brendan Haywood's tip-in with 45 seconds remaining in the second overtime gave Dallas a 95-93 edge.

Crawford missed from 15 feet, and Nowitzki swished a 15-foot fadeaway with 16.9 seconds left in the second OT despite Aldridge's tight defense for a 97-93 lead.

"I do feel good about my defense," Aldridge said. "(Nowitzki) couldn't see the basket half the time."

Wes Matthews made one of two free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining, Portland got the rebound of the second miss, but Crawford's desperation 26-footer failed to hit the rim as final buzzer sounded.

Both teams were on the second leg of back-to-backs and wore down as the game wore on.

Dallas won on Friday night at Minnesota 104-97, while Portland defeated New Orleans on the road 94-86.

Portland's Nicolas Batum made a 20-footer from the corner to open the first overtime, and Crawford's layup with 3:42 left gave his team an 85-83 lead.

Nowitzki made a 17-footer, Marion hit a layup with 1:08 remaining in the first overtime, and Marion converted two free throws with 37.3 seconds left to put Dallas in front 87-85.

Aldridge rolled in an 11-foot jump-hook with 23.9 seconds left in the first overtime to tie it at 87, Nowitzki missed from 13 feet with 3 seconds left, and the game went to a second overtime.

Portland rallied from an 18-point first-half deficit, with Aldridge scoring 15 fourth-quarter points.

"I started out kind of slow," Aldridge said. "I was trying to get it going."

Crawford's layup with 54 seconds remaining in regulation got Portland within 81-79, and Nowitzki's miss from 21 feet with 32 seconds left gave Portland a shot at tying the game.

Aldridge's 15-foot turnaround with 12 seconds left in regulation drew Portland even at 81.

The Blazers got off to a sluggish start, missing 12 of their first 17 field goal attempts as the Mavs surged to an 18-10 lead behind Nowitzki's eight points.

The Mavs led at halftime, 43-32 on the strength of 18-of-36 shooting from the floor and 12 points from Nowitzki.

At the break, Portland coach Nate McMillan stressed to his players the importance of a more physical second-half defensive effort.

"We didn't do that in the first and I thought we scrapped and put up a fight the second half and fought our way back into the game," McMillan said.

NOTES: Dallas has taken 22 of the past 29 regular-season meetings between the teams. Dallas and Portland met for the first time since the Mavericks won a six-game series in the opening round of last season's Western Conference playoffs. The Mavs went on to capture their first NBA title. ... Portland's 14 points in the first quarter were its low opening quarter this season. ... Portland C Marcus Camby took a charging foul from Dallas' Lamar Odom with 5:43 left in the second quarter and sustained a right ankle injury. Camby was in the locker room for the rest of the second quarter, opened the third quarter, but lasted only six minutes and was done for the night.

Notebook: Mavericks 97, Trail Blazers 94

Posted Sunday February 12, 2012 12:34AM

By Dave Ivey, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The third time was the charm for Dirk Nowitzki, who missed potential game-winning shots at the end of regulation and the first overtime Saturday before swishing a fadeaway jumper with 16.9 seconds left in double-overtime to clinch the Dallas Mavericks' 97-94 victory against LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers at the American Airlines Center.

Nowitzki's 20 points paced five players in double figures for the Mavericks, who have won three straight. Jason Terry added 19 points and Shawn Marion had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Aldridge had a huge night in front of family and friends in his hometown, scoring 33 points on 14-for-26 shooting with 12 rebounds. He scored 15 in the fourth quarter to rally Portland, who trailed by 18 in the first half and didn't take its first lead until the first bucket of overtime. Jamal Crawford scored 19 off the bench, but shot just 6-for-23 and was 1-for-7 behind the arc, including a desperation 26-footer at the buzzer that would have forced a third OT.

QUOTABLE: "We've just got to make breaks for ourselves. We had opportunities, and we've had them all season long, where you've got to make plays, you've got to make shots, you've got to get stops. Again tonight, we don't make shots when we have the opportunity."
-- Portland head coach Nate McMillan, whose team is 0-3 in overtime games.

THE STAT: Despite having the oldest legs in the league (average age 30.3 years), the Mavericks improved to 7-3 this season in the second game of back-to-backs.

TURNING POINT: The game was knotted at 93-93 when Dallas center Brendan Haywood rebounded a miss by Marion and stuck the clutch putback with 45.3 seconds left. After a miss by Crawford, Nowitzki drilled his 15-foot dagger from the top of the key over Aldridge's outstretched arm.

HOT: Portland made eight of its last 10 shots in regulation, including a game-tying turnaround jumper by Aldridge with 12.9 seconds left.

NOT: The Trail Blazers scored their fewest points in the first quarter (14) and first half (32) this season, erasing the previous lows of 17 (two times) and 34 (Jan. 6 at Phoenix).

BAD MOVE: Dallas turned the ball over 23 times (six by Terry), leading to 23 points for Portland.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Gerald Wallace had a double-double for Portland with 10 points, 10 boards and four steals. Nicolas Batum added 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Lamar Odom scored 10 points off the bench and Jason Kidd tallied eight rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks. Delonte West scored the Mavs' first six points of the second extra session with three straight midrange jumpers and finished with 10 points, four assists and four steals.

NOTABLE: The game featured the last three winners of the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award: Odom (2010-11), Crawford (2009-10) and Terry (2008-09). ... Terry (15,956 points) passed "Pistol" Pete Maravich (15,948) for 93rd place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. ... Portland shot 37 percent from the field and just 15 percent (3-for-20) from 3-point range. ... Dallas won the battle of the boards, 57-46. ... The Mavericks improved to 2-0 in overtime games.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Monday vs. Los Angeles Clippers, Wednesday vs. Denver, Friday @ Philadelphia. For the Trail Blazers, Tuesday vs. Washington, Wednesday @ Golden State, Thursday vs. Los Angeles Clippers.

• Trail Blazers: Johnson, Oden
• Mavericks: Jones, Williams

• Trail Blazers: --
• Mavericks: Nowitzki

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 7

• Arena: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #47 Bennie Adams, #77 Karl Lane
• Attendance: 20457
• Duration: 2:49