Film Study: How Shorthanded Mavericks Pulled Off 16-0 Run to Defeat Trail Blazers

Mavericks' 16-0 run seals comeback win over Trail Blazers. Dinwiddie, Hardy, Lively, Grimes, and Washington lead shorthanded Dallas with defense and clutch plays.

Photo: Nick White./DallasHoopsJournal.com

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks capped a thrilling comeback with a dominant 16-0 run in the final minutes to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 117-111 on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center. Playing without Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, Dallas relied on balanced scoring, key defensive stops, and timely execution to erase a 10-point deficit and seal the win.

"During that stretch, we did a good job of communicating with each other and bringing good energy,” Jaden Hardy said. “I feel like we fed off the energy we were bringing out there. We played aggressively on defense, ran in transition, and got easy buckets."

Hardy led the way with 25 points, while Dereck Lively II contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds, anchoring the Mavericks’ effort on both ends of the floor. P.J. Washington, Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, and Naji Marshall also scored in double figures, demonstrating the depth and resilience of the shorthanded Mavericks.

“Next man-up mentality,” Lively said. “We trust in the pass, trust the person behind us, and we stuck together. There have been a lot of times where we might start off slow, start off hot, or go cold, but it’s about sticking together.”

Here’s a closer look at how the Mavericks turned a double-digit deficit into a signature victory.