NBA Game Summary - Portland at Dallas
(Monday, November 5th)
Final Score: Dallas 114, Portland 91
Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - After scoring 30 points on Saturday, O.J. Mayo
came back to pour in a game-high 32 points, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a
114-91 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.
Chris Kaman chipped in with 16 points off the bench and Darren Collison posted
a double-double with 14 points and 13 assists for the Mavericks, winners in
two straight, and three of their first four.
"Teams can't really scout that," Kaman said of Dallas' offense. "We don't
really know what we're doing ourselves half the time. I mean, we know what
we're doing, but we don't have kind of a set thing, so we're just playing off
of each other. And if guys keep shooting the ball the way they've been
shooting, we'll be alright."
LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews each dropped in 20 points and Nicolas
Batum chipped in with 14 points for the Trail Blazers, who have alternated
wins and losses in their first four games.
Rookie Damian Lillard had scored at least 20 points in his first three NBA
games, but posted just 13 in the setback.
"Well, obviously we didn't do a good enough job defensively. I think Dallas
put on a flow clinic in the second half," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.
"The ball was moving, setting good screens, they made their shots, got to the
rim, and the game kind of got away from us in the middle of the fourth
quarter."
The Mavs took a 31-27 lead after the first quarter, thanks to 12 points from
Mayo in the period. Dallas shot 59.1 percent from the field and nailed 3-of-5
3-pointers, including a pair from Mayo, who has emerged as the Mavericks go-to
scorer with All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki nursing a knee injury.
The Blazers pulled within 57-55 at the break. Aldridge and Matthews scored 15
and 12, respectively, and Portland took a one-point lead after Aldridge's
three-point play, but the Mavs were able to regain the lead before the half.
Portland kept it close in the third, despite shooting just 34.8 percent from
the floor, and trailed 83-79 heading into the final quarter.
The Mavs used a 19-9 burst in the fourth to go up 102-88 and put the game out
of reach for the Blazers. Kaman hit two jumpers over the run, Jae Crowder
nailed a pair of threes and scored all nine of his points in the frame.
A J.J. Hickson putback with 3:43 left pulled Portland within 11 points, but
Dallas scored the final 12 points of the game to seal the win.
Game Notes
Dallas' Brandan Wright scored 10 and has posted four straight double-figure
games for the first time in his career ... Dallas forward Shawn Marion left
the game with a left knee strain and did not return ... Portland has dropped
four of its last seven games in Dallas.
11/06 02:06:13 ET

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