The 5 takeaways from the Mavs’ 126-118 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers
Mar 21, 2019Dwain Price
JACKSON SHOWED A LOT OF ACTION: While playing more minutes than any of the 25 players who played in Wednesday’s game between the Mavs and Portland Trail Blazers, Justin Jackson was able to show the Mavs’ coaching staff how well he can prosper under difficult circumstances on the road. Jackson played 34 minutes off the bench, scored 21 points and added four rebounds. He also was 8-of-15 from the field and 3-of-8 from behind the 3-point line. It’s the most points Jackson has scored since the Mavs acquired him in a Feb. 6 trade that involved sending Harrison Barnes to the Sacramento Kings.
BURKE MADE QUICK USE OF HIS PLAYING TIME: As he has on numerous occasions, Trey Burke made phenomenal quick use of the time he was on the floor in Wednesday’s game. The six-year guard from Michigan scored 15 points in only 22 minutes and was an efficient 5-of-9 from the field. Burke tallied eight of his points in the fourth quarter when he started that game-ending 30-13 rally by the Mavs after scoring on a driving layup with 9:12 remaining in the game. Burke’s plus 11 point differential tied with Courtney Lee for the highest on the Mavs, and his quicksilver speed kept the Blazers off-balanced.
ANOTHER 20-POINT OUTING FOR DONCIC: Luka Doncic has been scoring 20 or more points in a game so frequently that it’s almost expected that that’s what he’s going to do every game. In 29 minutes against the Blazers, the rookie from Slovenia poured in 24 points to go with five rebounds and six assists. He also was 8-of-16 from the field and a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line, which has occasionally been his Achilles heel. Even more impactful, Doncic didn’t even score in the first quarter on Wednesday. This was the 39th game in which Doncic has scored 20 or more points this season.
LILLARD WAS SMOKING HOT: Sometimes these scoring binges involving Portland guard Damian Lillard occur in bunches. Big bunches. Wednesday was one of the binge-feeding games for Lillard. The seven-year veteran from Weber State poured in 17 of his game-high 33 points in the third quarter. In fact, during a simple 2:58 stretch of the third quarter, Lillard went an amazing 4-for-4 from the 3-point line and personally outscored the Mavs, 12-5. It was one of those games where Lillard was seriously dialing in from long distance as he converted 9-of-18 shots, including making 6-of-12 buckets from downtown.
SELLOUT CROWD SERENADED DIRK: Every time he got off the bench to come into the game, or whenever he touched the ball or attempted a field goal, Dirk Nowitzki heard all of the good tidings coming from the Moda Center sellout crowd of 19,803. While Nowitzki was on the bench late in the game, chants of “We Want Dirk” reverberated throughout the arena. And when Nowitzki was put on the Jumbotron with 1:06 remaining in the game, the crowd literally went ballistic. They got even wilder when Nowitzki stood up, smiled and applauded and thanked them for their support.
Share and comment