Luka Doncic returned to the court after missing two games and put up 27 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 132-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Daniel Gafford contributed 23 points coming off the bench, while Kyrie Irving added 20 points for Dallas.
Doncic, who had been sidelined due to a left heel contusion, shot 10 of 19 from the field and made 1 of 7 from beyond the arc. In addition to his scoring, he recorded seven rebounds and seven assists in an impressive performance. The Mavericks have now won 14 of their last 17 games, bouncing back strongly from a brief four-game losing streak earlier in the season.
The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, struggled to find their footing as Deni Avdija led their scoring efforts with 19 points off the bench. Deandre Ayton chipped in with 16 points, with 10 of them coming in the second quarter. Portland has now dropped eight of their last nine games, facing a challenging stretch in the season.
Dallas took control of the game with a dominant second period, going on a 21-9 run to establish a significant lead over the Blazers. They continued their strong performance through the middle quarters, outscoring Portland 74-45 during that stretch. The Mavericks built a lead of as many as 32 points in the final period, firmly securing their victory.
In other key points from the game, Jerami Grant of the Trail Blazers struggled with his scoring output, following up a five-point game with just three points in 20 minutes of play. For the Mavericks, they displayed balanced scoring with five players reaching double figures by halftime, showcasing their depth and offensive versatility.
A pivotal moment in the game came when Klay Thompson grabbed a rebound off Shaedon Sharpe’s missed three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining in the first half. Thompson then calmly sank a three-pointer with 8.3 seconds left, extending Dallas’ lead to 62-51 at halftime, the largest lead of the half.
Thompson, who is nearing a milestone in three-point shooting, needed five more threes to equal Reggie Miller for fifth place in all-time three-pointers made. Despite shooting 3 for 8 from beyond the arc in the game, Thompson remains a threat from long range and a key contributor for the Mavericks.
Looking ahead, the Mavericks are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas Day, aiming to continue their winning streak. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers will begin a three-game homestand starting with a matchup against the Utah Jazz on Thursday.
