Deep breaths, folks. That was a close one. The Mavericks have shown some real grit in the face of adversity, coming away with two wins with a depleted roster. The Trail Blazers are better than their record might indicate, and the Mavericks were able to hang in with their impressive rebounding, with both teams bringing in 46.
Even with 13 turnovers, the Mavericks were able to hold on, shooting 43% from the field and 36% from three. Both teams had four scorers in double figures, and Lamarcus Aldridge led all scorers with 28. Jason Terry found his shot in the fourth quarter, as has been his MO as of late. Things were looking dicey until the very end when he notched 12 of his 18 points in the final period.
The heroes of the game for the Mavericks were Terry, DeShawn Stevenson, who scored 18 points with four 3-pointers and a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line, and Tyson Chandler, who registered a double/double (14/13). Jose Barea quietly snuck in 10 points of his own, and was actually +6 on the floor. Also stepping up in Caron Butler's absence was Shawn Marion, who nearly had a double/double with 8 points and 9 rebounds.
The team seems to be stepping up into their new roles without Dirk Nowitzki and Butler. We should be getting Dirk back on Thursday when we take on the Thunder. Discuss your thoughts and feelings below while we wait for the official recap!
GO MABS GO!