The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Portland Trailblazers on Sunday night, losing a scorching 121-118. Damian Lilliard led the Blazers with 34 points and 11 shots. Luka Doncic threw in 44 points in the defeat for Dallas.
The Blazers came out on top in the first shot and hit 6-of-11 from outside the arc, putting Dallas on their heels. The Mavericks, on the other hand, come from a game where they scored a franchise record of 25 tries, and did not tie at one try in the quarter and they took eight. Luka Doncic carried the Mavericks early, and he scored 13 points as he pleased. Dallas trailed 34-25 after one quarter.
Fortunes turned around in the second quarter, with Dallas hitting seven from outside the arc to just two for Portland. The Mavericks passed well most of the period and involved Kristaps Porzingis and threw until the free throw. But defensively, they continued to suffer, allowing both setbacks and easy attempts at the edge. Once again, Doncic fired offensively and hit three straight tries after being hit in the face on a ride. Portland was frustrated with the service work (Dallas had a 12-point lead at halftime) and Lillard suffered a technical foul. The Mavericks eventually led by just under a minute in the quarter and led 61-58.
With Doncic and Lillard tying tries to start the third quarter, it looked like we might be able to take another attacking result. The Blazers kept on fire while the Mavericks started strangely and tried to offend Porzingis who could not break out and Dallas could not contain the Blazers defensively. Portland shot an insane 15-of-21 for 45 points in the quarter and jumped to a fourth-place lead after a 103-91 lead.
The Mavericks were unable to take the lead in Portland with Luka on the bench, despite Jalen Brunson doing offensive work. With 6:50 left, Portland was 112-99 with the game well in hand. Their offense became icy and the Mavericks began a slow and steady march to draw 1:55 inside one on strength of 12-0. Lillard put the Blazers ahead on his own until a Doncic pass to Dorian Finney-Smith was given for three draws at 116 all. Lilliard answered the call again and struck a breakaway try. The Mavericks respond with an inlay to pull within one. The Blazers scored again on a bubbling game to take a three-point lead. Doncic actually had an incredible appearance to send the game to overtime, but he could not bury the triple. The Dallas Mavericks fell 121-118.
Now one more thought
The defense is terrible across the board
It’s hard to know where to start. Dallas is horrible on defense. This team is LAST in the league in a defensive rating since January 20th.
But before I discuss that, I want to understand the intent that the Mavericks do. They again play a fall-and-roll coverage against the Blazers and in the first three quarters, Portland hit 53% of three. While they finished at 45%, meaning they eventually missed a few in the fourth, I want to understand why the coaching staff finds it important to allow the shots. It would be one thing if the paint defense was good, but it’s struggling too (and we’ll soon get the main reason for that).
Bringing in Josh Richardson for defense just to match Dorian Finney-Smith to Lillard is a coaching choice I do not understand. Finney-Smith is a good assistant defender. He is an excellent team defender. He is an average defender from man to man and Lillard is a world beater. This is something I do not understand, because Richardson has more active feet than Finney-Smith and the Blazers put him in a blender.
Then we must come to his aid in the situations in Kristaps Porzingis. If you follow me on social media at all or listen to me on podcasts, you know I’m out on him for a while. This game was another example of an inability or unwillingness to make a positive impact. He gets lit on the exit and roll, often letting Lillard go around him in an attempt to chase a block, which simply does not work because he is not fast or athletic enough (which is not a bit, Lady is excellent). In his defense, Kanter embarrassed him. In defending chips, he has concrete in his shoes. Do not look for this help, where he will not leave the three-point shooter of Derrick Jones Jr., with 27%.
Either it’s, or he’s too slow to react and both stink. Of players getting important minutes, Porzingis is currently the worst defensive player in the league.
It’s not just Porzingis, basketball is a team game. Maxi Kleber and Tim Hardaway Jr., who crashed through Carmelo Anthony, for example, were big in this game.
But the Mavericks have signed him as the anchor of a defense and he simply does not do much for it these days. This is a problem the Mavericks need to figure out. Their offense is not as good as last year, so having a defense that is currently much worse will not cut it. The Mavericks have made significant progress in the last four wins on the offensive point. Now they have to find something to defend, because what they do does not work.