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The Mavericks lost a close one to the Trail Blazers, falling 121-118. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for Dallas. Luka Doncic was electric, scoring 44 points and adding nine assists and seven rebounds. He also shot 5-of-8 from behind the arc. Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 and went 0-of-3 on 3-pointers.
Damian Lillard led the way for Portland, scoring 34 points and dishing out 11 assists. Lillard also hit a dagger 3 toward the end of the game, though the Blazers did seal the win with a layup from Derrick Jones Jr. Here are three stats from a game the Mavericks let slip away.
45: The number of points Portland scored in the third quarter.
The Mavericks entered the second half with a three point lead, but before the third quarter was over they trailed by 12. The Blazers hit eight 3-pointers in the quarter. It’s a throwback to last season’s third quarters, when the Mavericks would play well and then get absolutely ran off the floor as soon as the second half began.
Hopefully it’s an aberration, rather than a trend.
4: Dorian Finney-Smith’s 3-pointers.
One positive takeaway from the loss is Finney-Smith’s shooting stroke seems to have returned. He was 4-of-7 from deep and finished with 14 points and three rebounds. Finney-Smith is 16-of-32 on 3-pointers the last seven games. It’s no coincidence the Mavericks’ offense is starting to round into form at the same time.
90: Doncic’s points the last two games.
Doncic has been on fire lately. Per Mavericks PR, his 90 points in the last two games are a Mavericks record, passing the 87 points Mark Aguirre scored in back to back games in 1985. Doncic and Aguirre are the only players in Mavericks history to have consecutive 40-plus point games. It’s unbelievable, but somehow Dirk Nowitzki never did.