Mavericks Vs. Blazers, Game 2: Dirk Nowitzki Closes Strong In 101-89 Dallas Win

Brandon Roy played just eight minutes off the bench in the Portland Trail Blazers' Game 2 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and failed to score, grab a rebound or deal an assist in that time. He sat for final 10 minutes of the game despite playing the entire fourth quarter of Game 1. After the game, he told Jason Quick of The Oregonian how frustrated he was in the course of the (in)action.

"There was a point in the first half, and I was thinking 'You better not cry,''' Roy said. "I mean, serious. I mean, there was a moment where I felt really sorry for myself. Then I was like, nah, you can't be sorry for yourself. I'm a grown man. [...]

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little hurt, or disappointed,'' Roy said. "But the biggest thing is to keep moving, to try and keep my spirits up. But it's tough man. I just ... I just always thought I would be treated better."

Roy and Blazers coach Nate McMillan have had a close relationship over the years; if anything Portland struggles to get Roy and Andre Miller on the same page offensively proved McMillan's loyalty to B-Roy, given that the coach and Miller ended up arguing most frequently.

But circumstances have changed, and Ben Golliver of our Blazer's Edge thinks Roy is being somewhat unreasonable.

When Roy says his struggles are purely mental, he's either kidding himself or he hasn't fully come to terms with his current abilities. Scouts, former players, media observers and fans see a player whose quickness and power off the dribble have disappeared, a player whose ball fake and dribble combinations no longer mesmerize, a player whose lift is gone, a player who has been a defensive liability -- slow laterally, slow to rotate, slow to close out -- for the entire season, and a player whose confidence is clearly shaken.

Given Portland's 0-2 deficit, the geographic shift of the series to the Pacific Northwest and the high-profile nature of Roy, expect this to get louder in the next couple days.

For three quarters, the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers played a back-and-forth game as neither team was able to seize control of their Game 2 playoff matchup. But in the fourth quarter, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs hit the throttle, burying the Blazers, 101-89, to take a 2-0 series lead. It was all Nowitzki in the closing moments as the Mavs big forward poured in 11 points for Dallas to put the game out of reach late.

Nowtizki scored a game-high 33 points and grabbed seven rebounds, placing the Mavs on his back and carrying them to the win. Jason Kidd added 18 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Peja Stojakovic came off the bench to chip-in 21 points, with Jason Terry adding another 10 points.

LaMarcus Aldridge had a double-double, scoring a team-high 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Gerald Wallace and Andre Miller added 18 points apiece in a complimentary role to Aldridge. Wesley Matthews came back from what looked like a devastating blow to the head in the first quarter to score 13 points. Nicolas Batum was also in double-figures with 10 points, all of which were scored in the first half.

Dallas takes a 2-0 series lead with the win, its first since the 2006 NBA Finals. The series heads to Portland for Game 3 on Thursday at 10:30 p.m.

Be sure to follow our series coverage at our Mavericks vs. Blazers hub. For more on Portland, visit Blazersedge. For more on the Mavericks, check out Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.

As Tuesday night’s Game 2 between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers progresses, it’s becoming clear this one is headed to a photo finish. Neither team has been able to pull away as the Blazers and Mavs engage in a back-and-forth battle in Dallas. Through the third quarter, the Mavs have inched ahead, taking a 73-72 lead into the final 12 minutes.

LaMarcus Aldridge is still leading the way for the Blazers with a team-high 21 points. Gerald Wallace has 17 points, Wesley Matthews has 11 points and Andre Miller has 10 points thus far for Portland. Nicolas Batum is also in double-figures with 10 points off the bench, all of which came in the first half.

Jason Kidd is back to his scoring ways on Tuesday with 18 points for the Mavs. Kidd is 7-11 from the field including a 3-6 mark from beyond the arc. Dirk Nowitzki has a team-high 19, including a perfect 9-9 mark from the free throw line. Peja Stojakovic and Jason Terry have been strong in a relief role, scoring 15 and 10 points off the bench, respectively.

Be sure to follow our series coverage at our Mavericks vs. Blazers hub. For more on Portland, visit Blazersedge. For more on the Mavericks, check out Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.

To say the first half in Dallas has been wild would be an understatement. The Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks engaged in a back-and-forth battle before the Blazers nudged ahead at the half, 52-50. Portland jumped out to a two-point lead after the first quarter before extending the advantage to six midway through the second quarter. But the Mavs came gunning right back with a run of their own to tie the came but couldn’t hold-off the offensive onslaught from LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace.

Brendan Haywood had a chance to tie the game heading in the half but missed two free throws, failing to hit rim on one, with just fractions of a second left. As it went, the Mavs took a two-point deficit into the half and have struggled to shutdown a Portland attack that’s been a four-pronged attack.

Aldridge led the way with 16 points, followed by Wallace’s 11. Nicolas Batum added 10 points off the bench. Wesley Matthews recovered from what looked to be a serious head injury to score nine points in the first half, rounding out the Blazers scoring attack. The other six Blazers to log minutes scored a combined six points.

Dirk Nowitzki scored a team-high 14 points for the Mavs in the first half. Peja Stojakovic was also in double-figures, coming off the bench to score 10 points. Jason Kidd scored nine points and was beginning to heat up in the second quarter. Jason Terry added eight points off the bench.

Be sure to follow our series coverage at our Mavericks vs. Blazers hub. For more on Portland, visit Blazersedge. For more on the Mavericks, check out Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.

LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace have been a formidable tandem for the Portland Trail Blazers, giving them an early 38-35 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 of their NBA playoff series. The two have combined for 23 points already, account for the bulk of the Blazers offense as Portland tries to even the series.

Aldridge has 12 points in the early-goings, with Gerald Wallace adding 11. Wes Matthews is the only other starter to put points on the board and has two. Matthews, though, was knocked out cold after colliding with a Dallas player in the first. After staying down for a few minutes, he was helped to the locker room, but made a return to the bench and was, apparently, cleared to reenter the game. Nicolas Batum has 10 points and joined Wallace and Aldridge in double-figures.

Dallas has spread the scoring load around, with only Peja Stojakovic in double-figures with 10 points so far. Jason Terry has six points, with Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki each adding four. Jason Kidd has three points so far.

Be sure to follow our series coverage at our Mavericks vs. Blazers hub. For more on Portland, visit Blazersedge. For more on the Mavericks, check out Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas.