NBA Game 72: Portland Trail Blazers 101, Dallas Mavericks 89
For the first time since the '98-'99 season, the Blazers took a season series from the Dallas Mavericks.
Thanks to a steady performance from our main contributors, Portland fought off the Mavericks all night and eventually finished strong with a 101 to 89 victory to make the season series 3-0, with only one game remaining next month.
Considering the trouble Portland has had against the Mavericks in the last decade, these three wins against Dallas have been even more impressive.
To not only beat them twice in Dallas, once without Brandon Roy, and then to continue the intensity in Portland and put a complete game together, is very positive for a team trying to move up in the Western Conference standings.
All week I wondered which Blazers' team would show up against Dallas, and with the second long layoff of March, I figured we were bound for a let down. But Portland came out determined, grabbing the lead in the first quarter and holding on throughout.
One thing about this game that I thought about early on was the starting lineup.
When TNT flashed it on the screen before the game started, it really had me thinking back to earlier in the season. There was so much uncertainty and confusion about who would or should start.
Now, everyone is right where they should be.
This group is meshing, playing well together, and honestly our starting five can, and will, put up a fight against any opponent in the NBA.
One of the keys to the group is having veterans like Andre Miller, Juwan Howard, and Marcus Camby leading the younger guys when things get tough.
It's nice to at least have some stability with the basketball personnel even if the front office suffers from uncertainty.
From an individual standpoint, Marcus Camby's offense was somewhat of a surprise in this game. He was aggressive offensively for no apparent reason. His aggressiveness seemed to rub off on everyone else and the Blazers were going hard the entire game.
Camby ended up with an impressive 17 points and 11 rebounds. From one veteran to the next, Andre Miller continues to be so impressive and such a good fit for our team. With Brandon still somewhat passive due to his recent slump, Andre had no problem taking the reigns and controlling the game.
Andre ended with a quiet but outstanding 17 points, ten assists, three rebounds, and three steals. He very much outplayed Jason Kidd and may have been the difference in this game.
Another bright spot for me had to be LaMarcus Aldridge.
He put his immense potential to work in the first half, and when his shot wasn't falling in the second half, he crashed the boards, played tough defense, and eventually made a few free throws and big bucket down the stretch.
Aldridge was a great weapon against the Mavericks, and if we end up playing them in the playoffs, Aldridge will have to be there and focused for every game. His length and ability to run the floor could really hurt Dallas and open things up for every other Blazer on the floor.
Last night was the first of three big games through the weekend. I consider this win against Dallas to be one of the bigger victories all year considering the situation and timing.
This weekend's games get interesting on the road against New Orleans and Oklahoma City. We should beat both teams, in my opinion, but that would be if we see the same intensity we saw last night.
Either way, the Blazers are gellin' and I'm happy about how the season is closing.
Hopefully I will feel the same way on Monday.
