Kyrie Irving Scores 46, but Shorthanded Mavericks Fall to Blazers: 'It’s Just About Will'

Kyrie Irving scored 46 points, but the Mavericks fell short to the Blazers. Irving reflects on the loss, saying, "We have to stay together and weather the storm."

Photo via Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com

PORTLAND — The Dallas Mavericks (20-12) fought hard but ultimately fell short in a 126-122 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers (11-20) at the Moda Center on Saturday night. Despite a sensational 46-point performance from Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks couldn’t overcome a sluggish start on the second night of a back-to-back and a shorthanded rotation.

Portland took full advantage of Dallas' defensive struggles, with four players scoring over 20 points and another coming just one point short. Sharpe's 23 points led Portland's balanced attack. Deandre Ayton and Deni Avdija each scored 21, while Anfernee Simons chipped in 22 points and eight assists. Scoot Henderson contributed 19 off the bench.

“You’ve got to give them credit. They play well here in Portland. When a team has four guys scoring over 20, it’s going to make an impact,” Irving said. “They were very comfortable at the end. Scoot was playing out of his mind. Coming off a game-winner, it felt like carry-over. He played free, hit threes even off a head fake. I haven’t seen that. They did things we didn’t see on film last time. You’ve got to give credit. Their coach made adjustments.”

The Mavericks entered the contest without several key contributors. Luka Dončić (left calf strain), Danté Exum (right wrist surgery), and Dereck Lively II (left hip contusion) were ruled out, while Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington served suspensions from their involvement in the altercation during Friday night’s game against Phoenix. The absence of frontcourt size and perimeter defense left Dallas exposed, and Portland wasted no time capitalizing.

While the defense left plenty to be desired on the second night of a back-to-back, there were some solid performances in addition to Irving’s explosive scoring night. Spencer Dinwiddie added 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Daniel Gafford contributed 15 points and nine rebounds. Quentin Grimes scored an efficient 15 points off the bench. Dallas received 12 points from Klay Thompson, but he shot 5-of-17 from the floor and 2-of-8 from deep.

Portland Sets the Tone Early