Shorthanded Mavericks Rally Late to Stun Trail Blazers: 'It’s About Sticking Together'

Mavericks rally past Trail Blazers 117-111 with six double-figure scorers, led by Jaden Hardy’s 25 points. Resilient defense seals late-game comeback.

Photo via Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS — Missing Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks (22-16) showcased remarkable depth and resilience in a thrilling 117-111 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers (13-24) on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center. Six Mavericks scored in double figures, led by Jaden Hardy with a season-high 25 points on 10 of 18 shooting, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.

“Next man up mentality,” Dereck Lively II 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.”

Dallas Hoops Journal is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Lively contributed 21 points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks, while P.J. Washington added 23 points and 14 rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie chipped in 17 points and five assists, Quentin Grimes tallied 13 points, and Naji Marshall rounded out the scoring with 11 points. These performances were timely, with Klay Thompson and Daniel Gafford combining for five points on 1 of 9 shooting. The balanced attack proved crucial in erasing a 10-point deficit in the final minutes as Dallas unleashed an 18-2 run to secure the win.

“The shots are balanced, and everybody’s getting the opportunity to shoot and make plays,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Spencer set the tone tonight, but his teammates picked him up. Around the six- or seven-minute mark in the fourth, we started playing faster. The pace was much better in the fourth quarter.”

Blazers Take Control Early