On Friday night, despite the absence of fellow All-Star Luka Doncic due to an injured ankle, the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 139-103 to sweep a home series against the Timberwolves.
In addition to Doncic, the Mavericks were without six other players. However, they took the lead in the midst of the first quarter, two nights after defeating the Blazers by 29 points without trailing.
Doncic, who presented with swelling of the right ankle on the injury report on Friday morning, was declared out prior to the game.
In the previous victory over Portland, the four-time All-Star joined rookie center Dereck Lively II and forward Grant Williams as sidelined starters due to ankle sprains.
Scoot Henderson added 17 points and 10 assists in addition to Jerami Grant’s 18 points for the Trail Blazers, who dropped their third consecutive game to open a seven-game road trip and are 3-13 since December 1st, falling 16 games below.500.
Irving, who tied his season high of nine rebounds for the second game in a row, and Doncic combined for 70 points in the first win over Portland, when both sat out the entire fourth quarter.
Irving again missed the entirety of the fourth period in his third game back after missing 12 with an injured right heel. Dallas led the Blazers 33 points after outscoring them 40-16 in the third. Twelve points came from the eight-time All-Star in the opening 5:08.
“Many bodies out, next man mentality,” said Jason Kidd, the coach of the Dallas Cowboys. “Therefore, Ky got us off to an excellent start.” I believed Ky continued precisely where he had left off. All participants performed at an exceptionally high level.
There were plenty of contributors behind Irving in the rematch, with Jalen Hardy and Tim Hardaway Jr. leading five other double-figure scorers with 19 points apiece. Josh Green, A.J. Lawson, and Derrick Jones Jr. all contributed 14, while Jones Jr. added 12.
Hardy recorded new highs for his career in nine rebounds and seven assists.
Green, Jones, and Dwight Powell all completed breakaway dunks off steals as the Blazers committed 41 turnovers in the final two games, which resulted in 47 points for the Dallas Cowboys.
“Absolutely disheartening in every respect,” stated Portland head coach Chauncey Billups. “Rarely this year have I sat up here disappointed in our effort. Our effort was poor. It was abysmal throughout the contest. That was a poor start on the part of the starting pitchers. “It was simply difficult.”
The Blazers were within six midway through the second quarter and trailed by nine at halftime before the Mavs scored the first 12 points after the break, including eight from Jones, for a 74-53 lead.
