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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Dallas Mavericks have beaten two of
the NBA's best teams in a span of three days, and they've nearly pulled even with the Los Angeles Lakers.
|  | | Scottie Pippen had 10 assists and 10 points, but hit only one of nine shots. |
Even more shocking, the Mavs have accomplished this on the road, which always has been unkind to the 21-year-old franchise.
Juwan Howard scored 24 points and Michael Finley added 23 as the Mavericks set a team record with their 21st road victory by
defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 94-84 Wednesday night.
"We've got to let these teams know that we're one of the top teams, too, in the Western Conference," Howard said. "We're for real. We're improving, night in and night out."
Dirk Nowitzki added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and hit consecutive 3-pointers during a 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter that put the game away.
Arvydas Sabonis scored 19 points and Scottie Pippen had 10 assists for the Blazers, who had won three in a row but fell into a
tie for fifth place in the West playoff race with the Mavericks at
46-25.
"When they are playing and shooting the ball the way they did tonight, they're just tough to beat," said Pippen, who was just 1-for-9 shooting.
Dallas, guaranteed of a winning road record for the first time
in team history, has won three straight and nine of 11. The Mavs
improved to 2-0 on a brutal road trip that began in Utah and still
includes the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento and Houston.
With Los Angeles' loss to Sacramento, the Mavs are only a
half-game behind the Lakers for the No. 4 spot, which carries
homecourt advantage in the first round.
"This was one more huge step in our dream of making the playoffs," said coach Don Nelson, whose team hasn't made it since 1990. "The way we are playing, it would be hard to believe we wouldn't make it."
The only low moment for the Mavs came when Howard landed
awkwardly on his left hand while going for a loose ball with 52.7
seconds left, apparently dislocating his left ring finger. He's not
expected to miss any games.
A three-point play by Sabonis to open the fourth quarter pulled
the Blazers within 67-66. But Nowitzki's 3-pointers, followed by a
fastbreak layup from Steve Nash, pushed the lead to 77-66.
Portland got within eight, but Finley took an inbounds pass from Greg Buckner on the side, turned and sank a 31-foot rainbow to beat the shot clock. A baseline jumper by Howard made it 84-71 with 4:33 left.
"I knew if I got a good look at it I was going to make it, and Greg threw in the ball, I got a good look at the basket and I made it," Finley said.
The teams split the season series 2-2 with another rough game. They had combined for 18 technicals in the previous three games – 14 on the Blazers – but the only one issued Wednesday night
was against Nelson with 4:13 left.
Nowitzki set the tone for a sloppy night by committing three
turnovers in the first five minutes. Dallas finished with 17 turnovers, to Portland's 15. The Blazers also made just 19 of 31 free throws.
The Blazers were running early, with Bonzi Wells getting a dunk
and a fastbreak layup to start the game. But Portland went through
a 2-for-11 shooting stretch, and Dallas started hitting shots from
the outside. A running jumper by Howard put the Mavs ahead 14-12.
Portland then went on a 16-5 run, finished by two free throws
and a 3-pointer from Steve Smith, but Dallas made the last two
baskets of the first period to cut the lead to 28-23.
The Blazers went 4½ minutes without a point during one stretch
of the second quarter, but recovered to score the last five points
and take a 43-41 halftime lead.
Dallas broke a 45-all tie early in the third quarter and took the lead for good, thanks to Finley's shooting, Howard's moves around the basket and a three-point play from Buckner that put the Mavs ahead 67-63 entering the fourth.
Game notes
Finley and Nowitzki scored a combined 30 points in the second half on 10-of-21 shooting, compared with 12 points on
6-of-13 shooting in the first half. ... Blazers point guard Damon
Stoudamire snapped his two-game scoreless slump with eight points.
Over the last six games he's averaging 4.8 points on 9-of-37
shooting. ... Wallace scored 15 points, but just six after halftime.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
Portland Clubhouse
Wang winging his way from China to the Mavericks
RECAPS
New Jersey 99
Denver 96
Orlando 96
Philadelphia 95
Phoenix 103
Cleveland 94
Dallas 94
Portland 84
Seattle 94
Minnesota 93
Sacramento 108
LA Lakers 84
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