A tired Portland Trail Blazers team, who are coming off an overtime victory over the LA Clippers, welcome the well-rested Dallas Mavericks to Moda Center later tonight. Will the Blazers show no effects of fatigue and beat Dallas? Or will the Mavericks embarrass Portland in front of its home fans?
Before this matchup, the Thunder and the Bulls square off in a high-profile game between West and East superpowers. Click here for a preview of that game.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers Preview
Where: Moda Center, Portland
When: Thursday, March 5, 2015, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers — view all NBA lines
Betting on the Dallas Mavericks
[sc:NBA240banner ]Despite a makeshift starting lineup, the Mavericks prevented suffering a three game skid on Monday, when they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 102-93. Monta Ellis led all scorers with 20 points, while Rajon Rondo added 19. Richard Jefferson, meanwhile, scored 16 points in an exceptional fill-in job for the ailing Chandler Parsons.
Parsons, the Mavericks third-leading scorer with 15.4 points per game, will be out again versus Portland as he continues to recuperate from an ankle injury. With that said, expect Jefferson to continue to start for Dallas, which is fourth in the NBA in scoring with 105.2 points per game. Jefferson has been rewarding coach Rick Carlisle’s decision to start him over Al-Farouq Aminu, as the 34-year-old small forward has scored in double-digits in four of the Mavs’ last five games, averaging 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during that stretch.
Another player who might see extended minutes on the floor tonight against Portland is second-year center Bernard James. James has been the main beneficiary of Tyson Chandler’s absence in terms of playing time. James, who did not score against New Orleans but grabbed six rebounds, is averaging 3.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in Dallas’ previous four outings. Chandler might play after all against Portland, but as of this writing, he is labelled as questionable.
Parsons and Chandler’s absences have left a heavy scoring load on the shoulders of Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas’ top two scorers. Thus far this season, they are averaging 17.8 points and 14.0 points respectively. The two combined for 45 points on 20-of-55 shooting in the Mavs’ 111-101 win over Portland on February 7.
Dallas is 4-2 ATS in its last six games.
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Betting on the Portland Trail Blazers
Even on a night where he can’t find his shot, Damian Lillard didn’t fail to come up with something amazing. Lillard scored just two points but grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds and LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 29 points, leading the Blazers past the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night, 98-93.
Lillard’s shocking rebounding output highlighted the Blazers’ defensive prowess that keyed the victory over the Clippers, who entered the contest second in the NBA in scoring with 106.6 points per game. With the Blazers outrebounding LA (61-51), they were able to cut down the Clippers’ possessions and their scoring as well. The Blazers own the third-best defensive efficiency average in the league with 99.5 points allowed per 100 possessions.
This kind of defensive tenacity will have to show up anew later tonight against a Dallas team that shoots 46.3 percent from the field this season, fifth-best in the NBA.
Portland must prevent the Mavericks from lighting up the fireworks in the three-point area just like in their February meeting, when Dallas knocked down 14 threes. That defensive lapse, however, seemed to be just a blip in the radar for the Blazers, who are allowing opponents to make just 6.1 three-pointers on an acute 32.1 percent clip this season. In Portland’s 108-87 romp over the Mavs on November 6, the Blazers’ defense allowed just five three-pointers, while making 12 of their own.
The Blazers must also be wary of Dallas’ open court game. They allowed the Mavs to compile 24 fast break points in their last meeting, with second stringers Devin Harris and J.J. Barea pushing the action and scoring seven and five points on the break, respectively. Portland, however, looked prepared to stop the Mavericks’ transition attacks when it held the Clippers down to just five fast break points in their last outing.
Portland is 6-1 SU in its last seven games.
Writer’s Prediction
Dallas wins, 102-98.
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