The Dallas Mavericks showed no mercy to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, as they dominated the game from start to finish and won by a whopping 139-103. The Mavericks set a franchise record for most points in a half with 82, and tied the NBA record for most three-pointers in a half with 14. They also had seven players score in double figures, led by Luka Doncic with 29 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.
The Mavericks were unstoppable from beyond the arc, as they made 24 out of 43 attempts for a 55.8% clip. They had six players make at least three triples, with Tim Hardaway Jr. leading the way with six. Doncic and Jalen Brunson added five each, while Dorian Finney-Smith, Reggie Bullock and Trey Burke had three apiece. The Mavericks tied the NBA record for most three-pointers in a half with 14 in the first half, and broke their own franchise record for most points in a half with 82. They also set a new season-high for most points in a game with 139, surpassing their previous mark of 130 against the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 23.
Trail Blazers struggle on both ends
The Trail Blazers had no answer for the Mavericks’ offensive onslaught, as they allowed them to shoot 57.3% from the field and 55.8% from three-point range. They also committed 18 turnovers, which led to 25 points for the Mavericks. On the other end, the Trail Blazers shot only 40.2% from the field and 28.6% from three-point range. They were led by Damian Lillard, who had 18 points and six assists, but also had six turnovers. CJ McCollum added 17 points, while Norman Powell had 16. The Trail Blazers trailed by as many as 45 points in the fourth quarter, and suffered their worst loss of the season.
Mavericks improve to fourth in the West
The Mavericks improved their record to 22-18 with the win, and moved up to fourth place in the Western Conference standings. They are now half a game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies, who lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The Mavericks have won four of their last five games, and are 9-4 in December. They will look to continue their hot streak when they face the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
Trail Blazers fall to ninth in the West
The Trail Blazers dropped their record to 16-22 with the loss, and fell to ninth place in the Western Conference standings. They are now two games behind the Denver Nuggets, who hold the eighth and final playoff spot. The Trail Blazers have lost three of their last four games, and are 5-8 in December. They will try to bounce back when they face the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
