Luka Dončić Drops 27 in Return as Mavericks Cruise Past Blazers: 'Everybody Was Involved'

Luka Dončić returned with 27 points, leading the Mavericks to a 132-108 win over the Blazers. Dallas' depth shined with five players in double figures.

Photo via Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS — Luka Dončić returned from a two-game absence caused by a left heel contusion and led the Dallas Mavericks to a decisive 132-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Dončić’s 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists helped Dallas extend their strong stretch, winning 14 of their last 17 games.

“Well, I think mine was okay. Nothing special,” Dončić said about his performance. “The important thing is that we got the win. You know, I think everybody was involved and that’s how we got to play. I think Portland has a good team. They have players that can really score, so it’s a dangerous game and we had to be locked in.”

The Mavericks improved to 19-10 on the season, while the Blazers dropped to 9-20. This was the 13th game Dallas had used its preferred starting lineup of Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II, a group that had only narrowly surpassed 100 minutes together entering the matchup. Aside from Lively, each player in this lineup scored in double figures, including Irving’s steady 20 points.

“I think we’re in a great position,” Dončić said. “I miss games. People miss games and I think we're in a great spot. We have a lot of work to do still, but I think we're in a great spot.”