Mavs’ defense let them down during 17-point loss to Blazers

PORTLAND – The Dallas Mavericks clearly missed center Christian Wood during Saturday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Knowing that the Mavs were without Wood – the team’s second-leading scorer – the Blazers sent everything but the kitchen sink at point guard Luka Doncic and dared his teammates to beat them. It was a strategic game plan that netted the Blazers a 136-119 victory at the Moda Center.

The Blazers sent two players at Doncic almost every time he touched the basketball. That left the Mavs playing four-on-three on numerous occasions.

And while the Mavs were able to often take full advantage, it was their defense which failed them. The 136 points the Mavs allowed are the second-most they’ve given up this season, trailing only the 144 points the Chicago Bulls scored against them on Dec. 10 on the second night of a back-to-back when Doncic didn’t play.

“They blizted (Donic) on every pick-and-roll,” coach Jason Kidd said. “I thought, again, his reads were good. He only had one turnover. We made shots.

“It wasn’t so much our offense. It was our defense. We didn’t participate tonight (on defense). We got to do a little bit better.”

Wood is averaging 18.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. More importantly, he has turned himself into a very effective rim protector.

And that’s where the Blazers did a lot of damage against the Mavs as they outscored Dallas, 50-28, in the paint. Portland also outrebounded the Mavs, 47-25.

Here are the three takeaways from the 17-point loss to the Blazers.

BULLOCK FROM THREE: When it came to shot-making, Reggie Bullock had the game of his life. Actually, it was a game for the ages for Bullock as he wound up converting eight of the 10 three-pointers he attempted. Those are the most three-pointers Bullock has made in one game in his 10-year career. Prior to Saturday, Bullock was just 7-for-26 on three-pointers in his last five games.

DINWIDDIE WAS COOKING: Spencer Dinwiddie scored 25 points and continued to have a very solid road trip. Dinwiddie was 8-of-12 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from downtown. In the four games on this five-game trip thus far, Dinwiddie has poured in 76 points and is 25-of-48 from the field for 52.1 percent, including 10-of-23 from beyond the three-point stripe for 43.5 percent.

DEFENSE LET THEM DOWN: The Mavs had one of those games where their defense simply let them down. Offensively, the Mavs scored 119 points, shot 52.4 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from behind the three-point line. This is the first time this season the Mavs lost a game where they scored at least 119 points during regulation play.

Twitter: @DwainPrice