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

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.”

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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.”

Portland Trail Blazers Take Control Early

Portland capitalized on Dallas’ early struggles to establish momentum in the first half. Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe each scored 22 points, with their performances characterized by a mix of timely three-point shooting and aggressive drives to the basket.

Simons, in particular, found success exploiting gaps in Dallas’ defense, repeatedly creating space off the dribble. Sharpe added athletic finishes in transition, keeping Dallas on its heels. The Trail Blazers’ offensive rhythm translated into a 28-20 lead after the first quarter.

Dallas opened the second quarter with inconsistent offensive possessions, allowing Portland to push its lead to double digits. The Mavericks’ defense struggled to contain dribble penetration, forcing late rotations and opening opportunities for Portland to knock down open looks. Despite these issues, the Mavericks began to claw back midway through the quarter, spurred by Hardy’s scoring burst.

Hardy sank back-to-back three-pointers during an 8-0 run that trimmed the deficit. His confidence helped energize Dallas on both ends of the floor. Lively also made his presence felt, dominating the glass and converting second-chance opportunities. Lively’s physicality disrupted Portland’s interior play and provided the Mavericks with much-needed stability.

“Really just sticking to what I’ve done—putting in work, extra work in the gym late at night, and staying consistent,” Hardy said about his recent form. “I don’t let a bad game affect me or carry over. I just move on to the next one, stay poised, and let the rhythm come to me.”

Dinwiddie contributed several timely assists, ensuring Dallas stayed within striking distance. The Mavericks entered halftime trailing 58-53 but showed signs of building momentum.

Dallas Mavericks Stay Close in the Third Quarter

The Trail Blazers opened the second half with renewed aggression, attempting to extend their lead. Simons continued to attack off the dribble while Sharpe’s athleticism shined in transition. The duo combined to create open looks for their teammates, briefly allowing Portland to push the lead to eight points.

However, the Mavericks refused to let the game slip away. Lively’s relentless effort on the glass and interior defense remained a cornerstone for Dallas. He consistently boxed out and fought for rebounds, limiting Portland’s second-chance opportunities. On offense, his ability to finish around the rim added crucial points in the paint.

“If they go small, I just try to punish them on the glass and how I should,” Lively said. “Even if they go big, it’s just the little tip-out plays, boxing out their big, trying to get into position early, and doing the little things before the shot goes up to get a rebound or to get a better position to either put the ball back in the rim or get an offensive rebound for us to get another possession.”

Grimes also stepped up, providing a spark with timely plays. He buried a three-pointer from the corner to halt a Portland run and later forced a turnover with an aggressive steal, igniting the Mavericks’ transition game. Grimes’ energy lifted the team, as his contributions on both ends kept Dallas within striking distance.

“We just kept leaning on each other, playing the right way, and trusting in what we were doing,” Hardy said. “When we got stops and scored, good things happened.”

The Mavericks entered the fourth quarter trailing 89-83, with their resilience setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

16-0 Run Seals the Victory

Down 109-99 with just over four minutes remaining, the Mavericks appeared to be on the verge of a disappointing loss. But what followed was a stunning turnaround, defined by their defense and timely offensive execution.

“During that stretch, we did a good job of communicating with each other and bringing good energy,” 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.”

With plenty of defensive stops and aggressive drives leading to trips to the free throw line, a 16-0 run was achieved. Washington ignited the comeback, hitting two free throws to tie the game and draining a corner three-pointer to give Dallas a 112-109 lead. His composure under pressure gave the Mavericks a steadying force during a critical stretch.

Moments later, Grimes made the game’s defining play, grabbing an offensive rebound and converting a tough and-one using an improbable floater while drawing contact to extend the margin to six with under a minute remaining.

“Our defense gave us the opportunity to win, and that was big late,” Kidd said. “We stayed tough and didn’t let up.”

Portland, meanwhile, struggled to respond. During the final four minutes, the Blazers missed six consecutive shots and committed three turnovers as Dallas tightened its defense and forced complex looks. Lively’s presence in the paint was instrumental in closing the game, as his shot-blocking and rebounding limited Portland’s chances of regaining momentum.

“We got to be able to grow without Kyrie and Luka,” Lively added. “As individuals and as a team, it’s about finding ways to play without them so we’re ready when they’re back.”

With their defense anchoring the comeback, the Mavericks outscored the Trail Blazers 36-22 in the fourth quarter to secure an impressive victory.

Looking Ahead

The Mavericks now focus on Sunday’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets at 2 p.m. CST. Dallas will look to build on its two-game winning streak despite continuing to play shorthanded.

“This was a great team win,” Kidd said. “It shows what we can do when we stay together and execute down the stretch. That’s the mentality we need moving forward.”