Brandon Roy Rising to the Occasion: Is Roy the reason Portland is succeeding?

The Dallas Mavericks led 80-74 thinking they had the game in the bag. A 3-1 series lead. Two home games to finish off the Portland Trail Blazers. Well, you haven't seen the last of Brandon Roy.

Roy scored the final eight points for the Blazers, including 18 in the fourth quarter, as the Trail Blazers shocked the Mavericks 84-82 and tied the series up at two. Roy scored 24 to lead the way.

Dallas led 64-41 in the third quarter, and Roy had three points until eight seconds remained in the third quarter. Roy finished with 21 in the final 12:08, including a three pointer to cut the deficit to 18.

In the fourth, Roy made long jumpers, short jumpers, and layups to keep the Blazers in it, and Wesley Matthews, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Brandon Roy scored to cut the Dallas lead to four, and Gerald Wallace assisted on a Roy jumper to make it a two-point game.

After Dallas scored, Roy made the biggest play of his life. He stepped up, drained a three and drew a foul. Roy made the free throw, and on their next possession, Roy made another huge play.

He stepped up, hesitated, and banked in a shot with just over 39 seconds left to play. With two seconds left, Jason Terry shot a three, but he missed it. The series is tied at two.

Roy has scored 16 and 24 in the two games at Portland, and the Blazers won them both. In the two games at Dallas, he scored two and zero, and the Blazers lost both games. If Brandon Roy can play well throughout the rest of the series, Portland can easily move into the second round.

The jump shot has been working, and that clutch aspect Roy has regained is now starting to show. His buckling knees haven't hurt him much in the last two games, and he is starting to rise and let people know that Portland isn't done.

Just two more wins and Roy and the Blazers will be heading to the next round.