Mavericks AM News: Williams Leads OT Win In Portland

The Dallas Mavericks point guard Deron Williams leads in badly needed 115-112 overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center.

The Dallas Mavericks waited until the final match up of a short, two-game road trip to play one of their most exciting games of the season so far.

The Mavericks would need overtime to escape a Portland Trail Blazers team that got 73 points from its bench. In fact, if you take away a stout performance from Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, who scored 25 points en route to a near triple-double, Portland starters combined for just 15 points.

Former Mavericks forward Al-Farouq Aminu offered no points, but did contribute a blocked shot, a steal, a rebound and an assist.

For the Mavericks, the starting lineup was everything, especially without starting forward Chandler Parsons, backup point guard J.J. Barea and backup center JaVale McGee available for this game.

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Forward Dirk Nowitzki opened up the scoring right out of the gate with two of his 28 points on the night. The future Hall of Fame shooter was active all night long in perhaps his best performance of the season.

Center Zaza Pachulia helped the Mavericks jump out to a 20-5 lead before the game eventually got closer in the second period. Pachulia delivered his 12th double-double of the season with 14 points and a dominant 21 rebounds.

Dallas, despite a fast start early, actually ended up trailing as Portland took its first lead of the game on a three-point shot at the buzzer to end the first half – 50-52 was the score at the break.

From there this game went back and forth frantically and without the performance of Mavericks point guard Deron Williams, that Trail Blazers bench would have been good enough to hand Dallas its fifth straight loss on the road.

Williams made big shot after big shot down the stretch as the Mavericks had to rally late in the fourth quarter to avoid defeat. Portland let a 96-89 lead slip away in the final 1:40 of regulation. The game eventually went into overtime tied at 96.

Williams dropped 30 points in 45 minutes of play and fueled the Mavericks offense with 8 assists.

Shooting guard Wesley Matthews, playing against his former team for the first time, contributed 18 points, which included back-to-back 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter to trim the Blazers lead.

A 9-3 run by Dallas to begin overtime put Dallas in control of the game for good as the Mavs held on for a 115-112 victory.

Yes, big win for the Mavericks and one that clearly illustrates why you never quit. This team of veterans seems to understand that dynamic completely.

The Mavericks get a couple of days off before welcoming the Houston Rockets to American Airlines Center on Friday for a 7:30pm CT tip off.

Following the Rockets game, the Mavericks are on the road for another back-to-back against the Washington Wizards on Sunday and then the New York Knicks on Monday.

Mavericks News From Around The Internet

Matthews Returns, Mavs Defeat Blazers In OT (Sports Illustrated via Associated Press)

Complete look at a gritty, hard fought overtime win in the Pacific Northwest by a Mavericks team that had lost four straight road games coming in.

Dallas Mavericks: 3 Things From Win In Portland (Smoking Cuban – Jay Knodell)

There was much to like about this overtime win for the Mavericks, but there was at least one issue that was highly out of the ordinary. The Smoking Cuban contributor Jay Knodell highlights three elements from Portland.

Portland Gives Matthews Standing Ovation (SB Nation – Tim Cato)

It’s not the kind of thing you would see in a city like Philadelphia – or Dallas-Ft.Worth, for that matter. However, it was nice to see a public display of appreciation from the Blazers faithful at Moda Center when Matthews was introduced.

Next: Cowboys: Jerry Jones Emotions Still In The Way

Raaymond Felton Remains The Villain In Portland (Dallas Morning News – Eddie Sefko)

Sure, Matthews may have been strangely welcomed back, but guard Raymond Felton wasn’t so lucky. This former Trail Blazers player was booed early and often by the Portland crowd.

• Published on 12/02/2015 at 15:01 PM
• Last updated at 12/02/2015 at 13:56 PM