Mavs hope its raining threes when they play at Portland

PORTLAND – The Mavericks hope that the solid shooting from three-point territory they displayed in Tuesday’s win over the Lakers returns when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Moda Center.

The Mavs were 21-of-43 from three-point range for 48.8 percent in the 127-125 victory over the Lakers. However, during Thursday’s 119-101 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, threes were in short supply for the Mavs as they were just 7-of-32 from downtown for a frosty 21.9 percent.

“It’s just one of those nights,” coach Jason Kidd said of his team’s three-point shooting. “We got great looks.

“You look at the guys who got looks. They didn’t go down for us (Thursday).”

Tim Hardaway Jr. was 0-7 from downtown against the Timberwolves, Grant Williams was 1-of-7 and Derrick Jones Jr. was 1-of-6. Against the Lakers, Dante Exum was 7-of-9 from beyond the three-point arc, Williams was 5-of-7 and Hardaway was 5-of-10.

That trio along was 17-of-26 from downtown for a red-hot 65.4 percent, while the Lakers were 15-of-29 from behind the three-point line for 51.7 percent.

Kidd knows sometimes players have an off night, which is part of the game. He just hopes the Mavs are right on target against the Blazers, who they were 12-of-39 against for 30.8 percent on Dec. 8 when Dallas won in Portland, 125-112.

“We can’t be discouraged,” Kidd said. “There’s a lot of positive things. Minnesota is the best team in the league, and we felt that we were playing well.

“Give them credit. But again, we had some great looks.”

*This is the first of a brief two-game road trip for the Mavs. The trip concludes Monday in Denver against the defending world champion Nuggets before the Mavs return home to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

*For Portland, this is the second of a five-game home stand. The home stand opened with Thursday’s 122-114 loss to the Utah Jazz. That was the fifth straight loss for the Blazers, who got a team-high 23 points off the bench from rookie guard Scoot Henderson in that game.

*Kyrie Irving (right heel contusion), Josh Green (right elbow sprain) and Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) are out for Saturday’s game., and Seth Curry (non-COVID illness) is questionable.

*The Mavs were just in Portland eight days ago when they walked away with a 125-112 victory over the Trail Blazers. Luka Doncic finished that game with 32 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, and Dante Exum added 23 points and seven assists. That also was the game where Mavs center Dwight Powell inadvertently fell on teammate Kyrie Irving, who hasn’t played since then due to a right heel contusion.

*In the 13-point loss to the Mavs eight days ago, Blazers guards Anfernee Simons (30 points, eight assists) and Shaedon Sharpe (24 points, nine rebounds, five assists) were the big contributors for Portland.

*With the 39 points he scored Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Luka Doncic tied Dirk Nowitzki for the most 35-plus points game in Mavericks’ history with 78. Doncic also has scored 30 or more points in nine straight games, tying a franchise record that he set during the 2022-23 season.

*Jerami Grant leads the Blazers in scoring with 22.1 ppg. Actually, Simons is averaging 24.6 ppg and 5.2 apg, but he’s only played in five games due to injuries. Also, Sharpe averages 18.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg.

*The Mavs have been flat-out balling on the road this season. Minnesota and the Mavs are tied for the best road record in the NBA this season at 8-4.

*Doncic leads the NBA with four games where he’s scored at least 35 points and distributed at least 10 assists. And he has 32 of those in his career. Doncic also is second in the NBA in scoring (32.3 ppg), second in three-pointers made (3.8), fourth in assists (9.1 apg), in addition to averaging 8.1 rpg.

*Rookie center Dereck Lively II had 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the loss to the Timberwolves. That’s the eighth consecutive game in which Lively has blocked at least one shot. He had a streak of nine straight games with at least one blocked shot from Oct. 25-Nov. 12. Lively is the only rookie in Mavs’ history with multiple blocked shots games of at least eight games.

DALLAS MAVERICKS (15-9) at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (6-17)

When: 8 p.m., Saturday

Where: Moda Center, Portland

TV: BSSW

Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)

X: @DwainPrice