POSTGAME NOTES Dallas Mavericks (16-33) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (27-22) Friday, January 26, 2018 Trail Blazers 107, Mavericks 93 TONIGHT’S KEY RUN: The Mavericks were within two (65-63) with under 4 minutes to go in the third quarter, but the Blazers used a 10-2 run to extend the lead to 10 (75-65) with 1:19 left in the period. Portland took a 75-68 advantage into the final frame. NOTES Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes registered team highs of 21 points and seven rebounds to go along with three assists, one steal and one block in 34 minutes. He posted his 20th 20-point effort of the season (76th career). Barnes led Dallas in scoring for the 23rd time this season. He led the team in rebounding for the 23rd time as well. Mavericks rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. produced 18 points (7-14 FGs, 4-7 3FGs), four rebounds, a game-high seven assists and two steals in 33 minutes. He scored at least 17 points for the sixth time in his last eight games and at least 15 points for the seventh time in his last eight contests. Smith is averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 32.5 minutes per game over his last eight games (1/9-1/26). He is shooting 44.4 percent (56-of-126) from the field and 86.2 percent (25-of-29) from the foul line in the span. Blazers point guard Damian Lillard tallied a game-high 29 points (9-18 FGs, 3-8 3FGs, 8-11 FTs), including 11 in the second quarter and 14 in the fourth, to go along with three rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes. He scored 20-plus points for the 31st time in his first 42 games of the season. Blazers guard CJ McCollum totaled 20 points (9-14 FGs, 1-4 3FGs, 1-1 FTs), including 11 in the first quarter, to go along with four rebounds and five assists in 33 minutes. He scored at least 20 points for the 30th time in his first 48 games of the season. The Mavericks recorded only five turnovers (resulting in five points), while the Blazers committed 15 miscues (leading to 14 points). The five giveaways by Dallas were one shy of the franchise record for fewest in a game (4, achieved 10 times, including once this season). It was the Mavericks’ 11th game with single-digit turnovers this year. The Mavericks used a 15-2 run in the opening quarter to turn a one-point deficit (11-10) into a 12-point advantage (25-13). Dallas led 25-17 after one. Dallas led by seven (36-29) midway through the second quarter, but Portland closed the period on a 23-8 run (capped off by a Damian Lillard 18-foot jumper with 1.1 seconds remaining) and took an eight-point lead (52-44) into the locker room at the half. The Blazers outscored the Mavericks 35-19 in the second stanza. The Mavericks used a 12-2 spurt early in the third quarter to trim a 12-point deficit (59-47) down to two (61-59). Dallas trailed 65-63 with under 4 minutes to go in the third frame, but Portland used a 10-2 spurt to build a 75-65 cushion. The Blazers took a seven-point lead (75-68) into the fourth quarter. Nerlens Noel (left thumb surgery), Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee quadriceps tendinitis) and Seth Curry (stress reaction, left tibia) all missed the game for Dallas due to injury. Devin Harris (personal reasons), Johnathan Motley (G League) and Jalen Jones (G League) were not with the Mavericks. Evan Turner (personal reasons) and Caleb Swanigan (G League) were not with the Blazers. The attendance for today’s game was 19,876. The Mavericks have now sold out 664 consecutive regular-season home games, which is an NBA-best sellout streak. The streak began on 12/15/01 and Dallas has sold out an additional 67 playoff games during that same stretch.
Postgame Quotes January 26, 2018 Trail Blazers at Mavericks Mavs guard Wesley Matthews “Credit them, they stayed in attack mode. I think that we played them a lot better from start to finish then what we did in Portland, as far as defensively and sticking to our coverages. It’s a two win sport, we were committed to the defensive end that’s for sure more so than we were the first game against them. Our offense really wasn’t there all the way, no matter what you do on the defensive end, you don’t put the ball in the basket, and you really don’t put much pressure on them. I know I didn’t shoot particularly well. We got the looks on shots that normally fall, just didn’t tonight and they were just able to keep their attack on. The beauty about the NBA is there’s another game, we have another one tomorrow against a team who is tough on court advantage up in Denver, difficult to go back to back. They got guys that have talent and shoot the three, obviously, Jokic on the block, so we have our hands cut out for us. Another game where we kind of eased into the first game so we got to come in with the mindset that we got to jump right into it, attack them first, get offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds. It’s also what hurt us tonight. We need to keep being confident in what we do and what we can be and go out there and play.” Mavericks Head Coach Rick Carlisle (On tonight’s game) “I remember exactly what was happening, I just know that we did have some breakdowns but they weren’t nearly what they were last time we played these guys. They hit some hellacious shots. We had a poor shot making night, and that combination can lead to problems quickly with these guys. I really have to look at the film to tell you. I just know that our first and third were pretty damn good, and our second and fourth were really bad. It’s all about 48, and we just didn’t do it tonight.” (On Portland guard Damian Lillard) “He started making shots. He makes difficult shots. He is really skilled and really talented, a tough competitor, all that stuff. Again, I can’t give you a perfect analysis without looking at the game, looking at these stretches first. But I just know that in games like this that end up being a 14-point game, it is the accumulation of little things that adds up quickly.”
Trail Blazers Head Coach Terry Stotts “We did a lot of good things tonight. After a slow start our offense really picked up in the second quarter. It was a little disappointing that we had a lull in the third quarter but I really liked the way we finished. Winning on the road is tough and it is good to get it.” (On Ed Davis’ blocked shot and how well he played) “Ed Davis did a lot of great things, not just that block. His block is, his tip, second chance points and defensively Ed had an outstanding game.” (On what happened in the fourth quarter when Damian Lillard got hot) “I think Damian [Lillard] happened. He can get on a rhythm. I thought our ball movement was a little better and he made some tough shots. We got him open few times but he is just capable of doing that. After getting off to a slow start offensively, missing his first four to five shots, he is capable of getting hot.” Trail Blazers Guard Damian Lillard (On his scoring pace throughout the game) “I ate something before the game and had a stomach ache. I had a weird feeling in my throat like I was going to throw up, so I was kind of winded. I just felt kind of sick, like I had the stomach flu from something that I ate before the game. I just kind of played the game, I let the game go. The second quarter, I had a big stretch to end the quarter. Third quarter, I was just letting the game go. CJ (McCollum) had it first quarter. Third quarter, our ball movement was good and then it got to a point in the fourth, where it was time to [go]. We have been in this situation in Denver, where we kind of had the lead over the course of the game and we just let it slip. So, I just got more aggressive down the stretch, just to try and bring it home. So, I was just trying to bring it home so that’s where my mind was.” (On the team’s progress) “Definitely. Anytime you can go on the road and figure out a way to get it done, even though we didn’t play perfect,. I think until the last minute and a half, they scored like 9 or 11 points in the last two minutes so it was a good defensive effort. There were a lot of things we could do better on the offensive end and the defensive end, but I thought we were really solid.”
