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tough game... and a very big one for both teams.
This here is your Mavs-Blazers Game Blog:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2010040922
The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of clinching the Southwest Division and trying to secure the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Finishing in that coveted position may not help the Mavs if they face the Portland Trail Blazers in the opening round of the playoffs.
Dallas has a chance to lock up the division Friday night when it visits a Portland team it has yet to defeat this season.
The Mavs (51-27) are battling Utah, Denver and Phoenix for the No. 2 spot, while Portland (48-30), San Antonio and Oklahoma City are tied for sixth in the conference.
Dallas can clinch the Southwest by beating Portland and having the Spurs lose to Memphis on Friday. Defeating the Blazers, though, has been a difficult task for the Mavs.
Portland has won all three meetings, holding Dallas to 43.6 percent shooting. In the last matchup at the Rose Garden on March 25, the Mavs were limited to 35 second-half points in a 101-89 defeat that gave Portland its first season series win over Dallas since 1998-99.
“They’ve beat us three times so for us it’s about getting better,” point guard Jason Kidd(notes) said.
The Mavs showed some improvement Wednesday night, avoiding a third straight loss with a 110-84 home win over the Grizzlies. It was the fewest points allowed by Dallas since also giving up 84 in a win at Charlotte on March 1.
Coach Rick Carlisle’s focus at practice this week was on improving a defense that had allowed 100-plus points in seven of the previous 11 games.
“We needed to play better basketball,” Carlisle said. “Any win you can get right now is precious. It’s a positive step. I thought we were more solid (defensively) than we’ve been the last few games.”
Dallas improved to 6-6 since the end of a season-best, 13-game winning streak.
Portland continued its strong play with a 93-85 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. LaMarcus Aldridge(notes) had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Brandon Roy(notes) scored 23 as the Blazers won for the 16th time in 20 games and moved up two spots in the West.
“We feel like if we finish out strong, we could easily go to sixth,” Aldridge said. “But it doesn’t really matter. Every series is going to be hard, but you have to finish strong for your own sake, not for who you play.”
Portland has reached the playoffs for the second consecutive season after a five-year drought.
“All we’ll do is keep playing, and when the official standings come out, we’ll figure out what we have to do,” Roy said. “You can’t be worried about where you match up or who you want to play.”
Aldridge, a Dallas native, has been the Blazers’ best player against the Mavs, averaging 20.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, while Andre Miller(notes) had 52 points in a 114-112 win at Dallas on Jan. 30.
The Blazers play three of their last four at home, where they have won six straight. Dallas is opening a three-game trip before hosting San Antonio in its finale.
“We’ve got to get them all,” forward Dirk Nowitzki(notes) told the Mavs’ official Web site about the road trip. “But we can’t get ahead of ourselves. It’s Portland next.”
tough game... and a very big one for both teams.
Mavs will really show us a lot if they can win this one tonight. They shouldn't be lacking any motivation.
Mavs have beaten every team in the NBA except the Blazers.
I'll feel very happy if we win this. Win or lose I wanna see a good showing, a blowout loss would really take the wind out of my sails
I don't like missing Mavs game but I may frequent the bars tonight.
Go Mavs!
We don't match up as poorly against the Blazers as the record indicates. a close OT loss, and a 4 point loss. The last game was the only one where we looked really outclassed... even then it came down to fast break points (16-0).
Granted a jump shooting PF and a strong backcourt are matchup for the Mavs, but I would like our chances against the Blazers in a 7 game series with HCA.
I've only ate at the Cheesecake Factory once or twice in my life. I enjoyed their food very much.
Sucks that this and the lakers games are ones I will be missing due to a motorcycle endorsement class this weekend.. I had tickets for this game also... booooo!!
Who would the Shat Man root for?
Hi, I'm Findog. And this is what I have to say:
I think the Mavs are good, but they're not that good. They can make some noise in the playoffs, but I don't think they'll go all the way.
Spurs are a dangerous team, but they're not that dangerous.
I think the Lakers are still the team to beat in the West, but they're definitely looking vulnerable these days. Still, I don't see any other team in the West beating them, it should be a very entertaining playoffs.
Thank you for listening to my thoughts.
both teams are going nowhere
Conventional Wisdom at its finest.
The Cavs may win a le this year, but at the end of the day, Blazers and Mavs fans get to live in a real city, whereas you're stuck in ville.
Yeah, they are very expensive tho, but if you take a girl there on a date, it's a guaranteed panty dropper
Thanks for listening, friend, and enjoy my thread.
Conventional Wisdom at its finest.
I'm betting it would take less than that for you to drop your panties
Oh hi Thunder Dan.
Look, I know the Mavs probably won't win a le this year, but I still enjoy watching them. I think it's going to be a fun playoff ride for the Mavericks. This sets up for a beautiful story. This group of veterans searching for their first ring, only to come up short. It'll be a sad ending, but at the same time, it'll be a beautiful tragedy too.
I got laid Wednesday night after taking my girlfriend to $5 Enchilada night at Casa Blanca:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-blanca-...tex-mex-dallas
I just like stirring up Findog because he always takes the bait
The Cavs are big-budget schlock like Avatar or 2012. The Mavs are a tragic mumblecore indie movie like "Greenberg" or "Lars and the Real Girl."
For a little whiles anyways.
LMAO, and sure enough, he did again. I didn't even see his post until after I responded to Ghazi. All I have to say is the Mavs suck, or they aren't going anywhere, and Findog always comes back with 2010 smack or Cleveland bashing
all I have to do is throw some chum (Mavs suck) in the water and Findog shows up like a shark
And even less for your of a mother to drop hers. More along the line of " o there" usually does the trick
That's because you're compensating for something. What that might be, I don't know.
I wouldn't put Portland on the same level as Dallas as cities IMO. Portland has a soul. Dallas is a cess pool, wanna be LA. It sucks major donkey . Nay, major fuss-pestering donkey .
Oh and lol mistake-by-the-lake.
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