With no room for error if they want to have even the opportunity to keep their postseason streak alive, the Portland Trail Blazers face the Dallas Mavericks in their penultimate seeding game of the regular season restart in Orlando. Tipiff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
SERIES NOTES
ALL TIME: Trail Blazers lead, 85-75IN PORTLAND: Trail Blazers lead, 53-25AT THE MAVERICKS: Mavericks lead, 50-32LAST PORTLAND WIN: 121-119, 10/27/19 (Dallas)LAST MAVERICKS WIN: 133-125, 1/23/20 (Portland)CURRENT WIN STREAK: Two (Dallas)
GAME NOTES
• Tuesday's game will be the fourth and final matchup between the Trail Blazers and the Mavericks during the 2019-20 season. Dallas leads the season series, 2-1.
• LAST MEETING: The Mavericks defeated the Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Jan. 23, 133-125. Dallas had seven players score in double figures, led by Luka Doncic who finished with 27 points (11-25 FG, 2-11 3-PT, 3-6 FT), six rebounds, nine assists and two steals. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 47 points (16-28 FG, 8-15 3-PT, 7-7 FT), six rebounds, eight assists and one steal. CJ McCollum missed the contest with a left ankle sprain.
• OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER: The Mavericks (125.0 ppg) and the Trail Blazers (123.3 ppg) rank first and third in scoring since July 30.
• Damian Lillard has scored at least 25 points in 16 of his last 17 games against the Mavericks. In that span, he has averaged 30.5 points and 7.0 assists while shooting a combined 65-of-155 (41.9%) from the three-point line. Lillard is averaging 36.3 points per game against Dallas this season.
• Gary Trent Jr. scored 20 points (7-10 FG, 6-7 3-PT) to go with two rebounds and one assist in 31 minutes off the bench against Dallas on Jan. 23.
• Carmelo Anthony had a double-double of 16 points (7-21 FG, 2-5 3-PT) and 11 rebounds to go with five assists, one steal and one block against the Mavericks on Jan. 23.
• CJ McCollum had 35 points (13-26 FG, 1-4 3-PT, 8-8 FT), six rebounds, four assists and two steals against the Mavericks on Oct. 27.
• In three games against the Trail Blazers this season, Luka Doncic has averaged 30.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He has scored at least 21 points in each of his seven career games against the Trail Blazers.
• Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points (6-11 FG, 3-4 3-PT, 5-7 FT), five rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks against Portland on Jan. 23.
• In three games against the Trail Blazers this season, Seth Curry has averaged 15.0 points, 2.3 assists and 1.67 steals while shooting a combined 9-of-24 (37.5%) from the three-point line.
• CONNECTION: Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts helped lead Dallas to the 2011 NBA Championship as an assistant coach. He was on Rick Carlisle's staff from 2008-12.
• CONNECTION: Dallas guard Seth Curry averaged 7.9 points while shooting 45.0% from the three-point line for the Trail Blazers in 2018-19.
CLINCHING NOTES
The Trail Blazers clinch a spot in the play-in game with a win AND with losses by the Suns and Spurs.
The Grizzlies clinch a spot in the play-in game with a win OR with losses by the Suns and Spurs
The Suns are eliminated from playoff contention with a loss AND a Trail Blazers win.
The Spurs are eliminated with a loss AND a win by either the Trail Blazes or Suns.
INJURY NOTES
Rodney Hood (left ruptured Achilles tendon) is not with the team in Orlando and will not participate in any scrimmages nor games the rest of the season. Trevor Ariza (personal reasons) and Caleb Swanigan (personal reasons) are not with the team and will not play in Orlando.
As for players in Orlando, Hassan Whiteside is probable after missing the last two games with a left hip strain.
As for the Mavericks, Seth Curry (right leg, soreness), Dorian Finney-Smith (left hip; strain) and Maxi Kleber (right knee; contusion) are probable; Courtney Lee (left calf; injury) and Dwight Powell (right Achilles; surgery) are out.
BROADCAST NOTES
Tuesday’s game can be seen locally on NBC Sports Northwest with Jordan Kent, Lamar Hurd and Brooke Olzendam calling the action. Travis Demers and Michael Holton will have the call on Rip City Radio 620 AM and on all of the stations on the Deschutes Brewery Trail Blazers Radio Network.