Portland at Dallas (March 17) Dallas came out with yet another lackluster 1st quarter, except this time it was against a team that has already given up on the season and is playing their youngsters. Portland used a 14-2 run to go up 22-11 with a 1 minute left in the 1st quarter and led 22-13 after 1. Dallas' pathetic shooting continued as the Mavs shot 30% FG and 1-5 FT. Portland shot 41% FG and 3-3 FT. Portland continued to lead in the 2nd quarter. Dallas did score 8 straight points to pull within 32-34 with 5:45 remaining. But Dallas could not break even and Portland held a single-digit lead the rest of the quarter. Portland led 46-44 at the half. For the half, Portland shot 45% FG and 9-10 FT and Dallas shot 37% FG and 12-21 FT. Dallas did improve their rebounding in out-rebounding Portland 28-18 including 12-3 offensive. Dallas scored the first 4 points of the 3rd quarter to briefly go up 48-46 with 10:25 to go, but Portland then went on a 12-2 run to go up 58-50 with 7:15 remaining. Dallas scored the last 6 points of the quarter and neither team scored over the last 1:30 of the quarter. Portland led 67-66 after 3. A highlight slam by Travis Outlaw gave the Blazers a 71-69 lead with 11 minutes to go. Michael Finley then hit a jumper and Josh Howard converted a 3-point play to put Dallas up 73-71 a minute later. Portland then scored the next 7 points to go up 78-73 with 7:45 left. Dirk Nowitzki ended the run with a 3-pointer (only his 3rd made basket of the game) and the game stayed close the rest of the way. Howard got a dunk and 2 free throws to put Dallas up 90-87 with 3:20 remaining. After the teams traded misses, Damon Stoudamire nailed a 3-pointer, but Howard answered with a 3-pointer to put Dallas back up with 2 minutes to go. Joel Przybilla hit 2 free throws with 1:35 left and Howard missed 2 free throws with 1:20 remaining. Sebastian Telfair missed a 3-pointer with 53 seconds left. Jason Terry was fouled with 35 seconds remaining and he hit 1-2 free throws to give Dallas a 94-92 lead. Shareef Abdur-Rahim missed a short jumper with 17 seconds left and Dirk Nowitzki was intentionally fouled on the rebound. He hit both free throws to seal the win. 2 more free throws by Nowitzki and a layup near the game's end capped the scoring. Dallas won 98-94. It definitely wasn't a pretty game by Dallas and Portland did play well. It is not a game for Dallas to be proud of, but the team simply needed a win. Hopefully the Mavs will play better in the next 2 games against teams who are also playing youngsters (Charlotte and New Orleans). After poor shooting for the first 3 quarters, both teams shot 10-20 FG in the 4th quarter with Dallas shooting 3-7 3-pointers (all of their made 3-pointers) and Portland shooting 1-4 3-pointers. For the game, Dallas shot 41.2% (35-85) FG including 3-13 3-pointers and Portland shot 42.7% (35-82) FG including 6-19 3-pointers. Dallas kept shooting themselves in the foot in bricking free throw after free throw. Fortunately they got to the line much more than Portland did. Dallas shot 25-37 FT and Portland shot 18-20 FT. One thing did improve as Dallas out-rebounded Portland 48-42 including 17-10 offensive. Portland had 18 turnovers (including a couple of dumb ones) and Dallas had 10 turnovers. It was the Dallas' 2,000th game in team history. The twins did a good job for Dallas in the 4th quarter and were a key factor in the Mavs getting the win. Josh Howard played very well despite an upset stomach. 10 of his team high 21 points came in the 4th quarter. He also had a team high 11 rebounds including 5 offensive. 7 of Marquis Daniels' 16 points came in the 4th quarter. He also had 4 offensive rebounds (no defensive) and 3 steals. Dirk Nowitzki had a miserable outing with 15 points including 4-17 FG, but he did have 9 rebounds and 3 blocks. There were times during the game where the team simply looked better when he was not on the court. Michael Finley had a decent game with 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Jason Terry had 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists. Shawn Bradley got the starting nod, but got popped in the mouth by Shareef Abdur-Rahim's elbow (Bradley got called for the foul, of course) 1:30 into the game and had to go to the locker room to get 2 stitches for his split upper lip. He did return later in the game and had 2 points on 0-3 FG and 2-2 FT, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 14 minutes. Keith Van Horn chipped in 14 points and 8 rebounds including 4 offensive. Alan Henderson did not have a good outing with 1 point on 0-1 FG and 1-4 FT and just 2 rebounds in 15 minutes. Darrell Armstrong was the only other Mav who played. He didn't attempt a shot and had 2 assists and 2 turnovers in 9 minutes. The 2 vets led the way for Portland. Shareef Abdur-Rahim had 20 points including 6-18 FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 turnovers in 46 minutes. Damon Stoudamire had 20 points including 7-22 FG and 5-10 3-pointers, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in 42 minutes. Joel Przybilla continued his improved season with his 11th double-double of the season. He had 16 points and 13 rebounds to go with 3 blocks before fouling out on an intentional foul in the waning seconds of the game. Rookie Sebastian Telfair had 16 points, 6 assists, and 4 turnovers in his 8th start of the season and rookie Viktor Khryapa had 6 points and 10 rebounds in his 3rd start of the season. Travis Outlaw chipped in 9 points and 6 rebounds. Quotes Don Nelson: "We are really struggling right now. Tonight wasn't a sure thing at all. Bottom line is we got the win. I'm trying to find out what is ailing this team and it could be some simple thing as rest. We are taking a day off tomorrow and nobody is allowed in the gym. We have been working pretty hard." Nelson: "I think we were fortunate we were playing a team with a lot of young guys and we were able to gut it out. We would not have won tonight against most teams playing the way that we did." Nelson: "Give them a lot of credit. They have been struggling lately and found a way to put it together for our game and they had a chance to win." Nelson: "I thought we were going to win the game all the way up until the 6 minute mark; then I thought it was in jeopardy. I took the calculated risk by going with a small lineup and forcing Przybilla to guard Nowitzki. I really thought that was the turning point. We were able to score almost every time after that." Nelson: "Dirk really struggled and didn't look like the Nowitzki we have known and loved for 7 years. He really struggled. He wasn't the only one." Nelson on Howard: "Josh took it upon himself to lift this whole team up. We would not have won this game without Josh." Nelson on Finley: "I thought he was assertive. I didn't think he was great. But he took it upon himself to get open and be aggressive on his shots. I think that's a good starting point." Dirk Nowitzki: "Offensively we're struggling right now. We can't make shots, but at least we got the win." Jason Terry: "The only way you can snap out of it is by winning. We did that tonight; we found a way. Now we can start to feel good about ourselves and come into this next game feeling desperation and come out aggressive and intense. We can't keep starting like this. I don't think it is going to keep up. I know we can play much better." Terry: "We are playing with a sense of urgency; every possession counts. Playoff type basketball. It's that time of year. March Madness is on and that is the time of year when the NBA is winding down. Some teams are winding down, some teams are falling off the map, and others are battling for playoff position. Every team is playing for something. For us, it's to play to get our rhythm back, to get the chemistry back, and to get that edge that we need." Josh Howard on playing despite not feeling well: "I just came out trying to play while not feeling well. Just trying to get my legs under me and it worked out. I wasn't feeling well, so just for me to come out and play well took a lot. I could have sat down and not played, but this is an important time of the year right now. We need all the guys we have to play." Howard: "We want to win every game at home. I don't think it's about establishing [our home court]. I just think that as a team we need to concentrate harder." Howard on the fans booing at the end of the 1st quarter: "I can't ever remember being booed like that. That's not a good feeling when your whole crowd is booing you. You don't want your home crowd and the other team against you." Marquis Daniels: "Me and Josh were just trying to get easy baskets by running out." Kevin Pritchard: "Dallas is a good team and they came up with big plays at the end of the game. Our team was absolutely heart and soul tonight. Heart and soul. We had a conversation today after a tough loss last night, and tonight I couldn't be more proud of my team. This is exactly what we're trying to accomplish. We're getting some guys in there, playing the right way, with heart and soul. I would go to war with the group we put out there tonight any day. They gave it their all and if we keep playing like this, we'll be all right." Pritchard: "As a coach. I couldn't be prouder of a team. This is exactly what we wanted to accomplish. If you didn't care who won the game, that was a great basketball game. The effort was there, the desire was there." Pritchard: "It's tough with some of the young guys, because they're up and down. It's a journey, it's not one game at a time. The effort and desire were there. We were a heart and soul team tonight. As a coach, that's all I can ask for." Pritchard on a post-up of Abdur-Rahim on Howard late in the game: "It was the exact play we wanted to do, and I would give Shareef that ball 10 times in a row and I would bet we would win 6 or 7 times." Pritchard: "Dallas is a good team. Nowitzki didn't have his greatest game, but they seemed to come up with a play at the end of the game." Pritchard: "That's what they do, they run it up and down the floor and keep it up-tempo. You can't stop them for 48 minutes, they're going to keep coming at you." Shareef Abdur-Rahim: "I think everyone played hard, we fought until the end. We're a little down though, we're a little wounded to have lost this one. The young guys played hard and stepped up, but it would of been better to leave here with the win." Abdur-Rahim: "We're getting better. If anything, we can feel good about that, but we still lost." Abdur-Rahim on the young players: "When I see them, I feel good because as that, but we still lost." Abdur-Rahim: "The situation we're in right now, we're trying to let the young guys play a little bit. We're kind of a team in transition. I think everybody understands where we are right now. Fully loaded, we're a much better team than what you see right now. We've got a lot of guys who are not here." Joel Przybilla: "Everyone in this room played hard. We had a tough one last night, we got beat by a pretty good Houston team, but we didn't back down tonight against a good Dallas team. I'd go to battle with everyone in this room. We competed hard and brought the intensity and character that makes up a successful team." Przybilla: "You'd have never thought Travis [Outlaw], Viktor [Khryapa}, or Sebastian [Telfair] would be able to come into a tough arena like this and play as well as they did. They were impressive and you have to give them credit. They've been working hard all year and it's paying off for them." Przybilla: "Josh Howard played well. He stepped up big on a night when Dirk had an off night." Dallas Mavericks 98, Portland Trailblazers 94 at Dallas (March 17) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th - Final 2FG 3FG FG% FT% Dallas 13 31 22 32 - 98 .444 .231 .412 .676 Portland 22 24 21 27 - 94 .460 .316 .427 .900 Halftime: Portland 46-44 3rd Q: Portland 67-66 Technicals: Portland defensive 3 seconds 8:25 1st, Dallas defensive 3 seconds 1:35 1st, Joel Przybilla 0:50 2nd Refs: Dick Bavetta, Tim Donaghy, Pat Fraher Attendance: 20,092 (sellout) Did not play due to injury: Darius Miles (personal reasons) Dallas Mavericks REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Jason Terry 39 4-10 0-2 4-5 12 0-5 7 0 2 0 2 Michael Finley 39 8-17 1-5 0-1 17 2-3 3 1 4 2 0 Dirk Nowitzki 36 4-17 1-3 6-7 15 0-9 2 1 2 0 3 Josh Howard 31 7-13 1-1 6-9 21 5-11 2 2 1 1 2 Shawn Bradley 14 0-3 0-0 2-2 2 1-6 0 1 1 1 3 Marquis Daniels 33 7-12 0-0 2-3 16 4-4 2 2 2 3 0 Keith Van_Horn 24 5-12 0-2 4-6 14 4-8 1 0 3 1 2 Alan Henderson 15 0-1 0-0 1-4 1 1-2 1 1 3 1 0 Darrell Armstrong 9 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 2 2 1 0 0 Totals 48 35-85 3-13 25-37 98 17-48 20 10 19 9 12 Portland Trailblazers REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Damon Stoudamire 42 7-22 5-10 1-1 20 1-6 5 3 3 1 0 Sebastian Telfair 39 8-16 0-4 0-0 16 0-1 6 4 5 0 0 Shareef Abdur-Rahim 46 6-18 0-1 8-9 20 2-5 4 5 3 1 1 Viktor Khryapa 30 3-5 0-1 0-0 6 3-10 1 4 5 0 0 Joel Przybilla 40 6-12 0-0 4-4 16 2-13 1 1 6 1 3 Travis Outlaw 27 3-5 0-0 3-4 9 1-6 2 0 5 0 3 Richie Frahm 15 2-4 1-3 2-2 7 1-1 1 0 0 1 0 Derek Anderson 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 48 35-82 6-19 18-20 94 10-42 20 18 27 4 7 patricia