The “Texas No-Step” is unlikely to ever become a more popular form of dancing than the classic Texas Two-Step, but that’s what the Portland Trail Blazers are stuck with after dropping a 138-133 decision
to the Dallas Mavericks in NBA action tonight.
After also losing to the Houston Rockets two nights ago, the Blazers are heading home from their first five-game road trip of the season with only one win. Check out Kevin Lawler’s early recap of tonight’s hoedown, then look here for a few additional spins around the floor:
No Jrue? No Good.
No Jrue is definitely No Holiday for the Blazers. This was a winnable game even with their starting point guard out of action with a right calf strain, but the way it unfolded down the stretch screams that No Jrue is no way forward for this team at this point. And now that we’re talking point guards, former Blazer Brandon Williams set the stage for the Mavs down the stretch and chalked up 15 points with 6 assists and only a single turnover.
Off-court Drama?
The Blazers held a players-only meeting after they were manhandled in Houston Friday. It might be interesting to know who specifically had the clout to call such a meeting and what exactly was on the meeting agenda, but the team’s subsequent performance on the court speaks for itself. The Mavericks certainly heard the message loud and clear: they needed everything they brought to the dance to get the win. Whatever is going on behind the scenes, the Blazers are definitely a difficult matchup as soon as the music starts.
Looking Closer At Some Numbers
It’s frequently stated that numbers don’t lie, but a closer look suggests they sure as shootin’ don’t always tell the truth. One glaring example of this is the percentage the teams shot from Fort Worth tonight (otherwise described as beyond the 3-point line). According to the game stats, the Blazers buried only 30% from distance compared to 68% for the Mavericks, which suggests the game should have been a blowout rather than an overtime thriller. Turns out the winners hit only one more three than the losers (15-14), and the decision came down to the execution of fundamentals in crunch time.
Center Times Two Equals Zero
Portland’s center tandem of Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III combined tonight for 22 points on 9 for 16 shooting with 16 rebounds (9 offensive!), 3 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Not a bad night, except that neither of them stepped foot on the court during the last three minutes of regulation or the overtime period until Deni Avdija fouled out with 1:39 left in the game. There may be a reasonable explanation for this–more likely than not, I generally assume–but it was a head-scratcher looking at it from 2,029 miles away.
Flagging Cooper
Celebrated #1 2025 draft choice Cooper Flagg put up a mixed bag for the Mavericks tonight, but a 10-point flurry early in the third quarter and an impactful stretch run sure looked like a sign of things to come. The lad ended up with 21 points on 9-for-16 shooting, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in 37 minutes.
Balancing Act
All five Portland starters scored in double figures tonight, led by Shaedon Sharpe’s 36. Deni Advija came up with 29, Jerami Grant 26, Donovan Clingan 16 and Toumani Camara 11, which was enough to trounce the Dallas starters 118-91. Unfortunately, the bench got hammered by a count of 47-15, with Klay Thompson out in front with 19 points.
Road Trips May Be Tiring
One team definitely appeared to be on the end of a five-game road trip, and one team didn’t. The Blazers faltered down the stretch offensively, and the defense they count on to bail them out disappeared in the overtime–the Mavericks scored on every possession in the extra period when no one from Portland was able to stay in front of Brandon Williams or keep Cooper Flagg out of the paint. Here’s hoping home cooking is the recipe for renewal when the Blazers return!
Up Next
The Blazers quickstep home for a Tuesday, November 18 matchup with the Phoenix Suns at 8pm Pacific. Yes, EIGHT pm Pacific! Also heads up that the game is NOT on BlazerVision, but only on NBA/Peacock!
