Mavericks Vs. Blazers, Game 3: Wesley Matthews Leads Portland To 97-92 Win

Dallas now has one game in this series with a very low turnover tally (six in Game 2), one with an average number (13 in Game 1) and one with a high number (16 in Game 3). Can Portland continue to force mistakes, or take advantage of sloppy play? Based on the results in the first three games, the Blazers’ hopes to win the series may depend on it.

Roy played 24 minutes and broke out 16 points on 6-10 shooting with four assists, fantastic production off the bench. He definitely had jumper going, and it was Roy’s highest point total since March 15, and only the eighth time since returning from knee surgery on Feb. 23 he scored in double-digits. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Blazers needed every bit to squeeze a 97-92 win over the Mavericks.

Ben Golliver of Blazersedge talked to Blazers co-star LaMarcus Aldridge about how Roy looked in Game 3 compared to the two games in Dallas.

McMahon reports that the Garden beefed up security around Cuban from that point on. Cuban doesn’t regularly travel with the team in the regular season, but does make the trips during the postseason. This isn’t his first showdown with fans in the NBA Playoffs; he had a regrettable exchange with the mother of Kenyon Martin during a Mavericks-Nuggets series two years ago.

Obviously, throwing anything in the crowd of a basketball game is bad form. Stop it, Portland.

After watching the Dallas Mavericks hang around before putting them away in the first two games, the Portland Trail Blazers were the aggressor during Thursday’s Game Three. Through the first three quarters, the Blazers and Mavs matched each other stride-for-stride, with Portland holding a slight, two-point advantage heading into the final 12 minutes. But thanks to a run to begin the fourth quarter, the Blazers were able to begin to chip away at Dallas’ 2-1 series lead with a 97-92 win at the Rose Garden.

Portland began the quarter on an 11-2 run, turning its two-point lead into an 11-point lead just three minutes into the fourth. But the Mavs weren’t content to give up without a fight and continued battling back, thanks to a strong quarter from Dirk Nowitzki. Both teams endured scoring droughts over the final four minutes, though Dallas was able to slowly reel the Blazers in, cutting the deficit to three on a Jason Kidd two-pointer with under 20 seconds to go.

Once again, we’re headed to a close finish in Portland as the Blazers and Dallas Mavericks duke it out in Game 3 of their NBA playoff matchup. At the end of the third quarter, the Blazers hold a slight advantage over the Mavs, 75-72, though the game could go either way at this point. Portland has done it in an intriguing way as a small number of players have taken care of the scoring burden as the rest hang around and watch the show.

Wesley Matthews continues to lead the way for the Blazers with 25 points. LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy are also in double-figures with 16 points apiece. Andre Miller had 12 points to round-out the four-headed scoring attack. Marcus Camby and Nicolas Batum were the only other players to score for Portland, putting up four and two points, respectively.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks are locked in a tight battle at the half in a game that’s beginning to feel like deja vu. Throughout the series, the Blazers and Mavericks have played back-and-forth games, with Dallas pulling away at the end. After Portland took an early lead, the Mavs came right back, closing the gap to two headed into the half, 54-52.

Wesley Matthews is still on a tear for the Blazers, scoring a game-high 22 first half points. Just a few days after complaining about his minutes, or lack thereof, Brandon Roy has made the most of his time, coming off the bench to score nine points on 4-5 shooting. LaMarcus Aldridge was also in double-figures with 12 points.

It’s the Wesley Matthews show in Portland and there’s nothing the Dallas Mavericks can do to stop it. Matthews was on fire from the floor in the first quarter, scoring a game-high points to give the Blazers a 28-23 lead. Matthews was 4-5 from beyond, tying the team-record for three-pointers made in a quarter.

Marcus Camby somehow rose from the dead for the Blazers, as well, scoring six points and grabbing four rebounds in the quarter. LaMarcus Aldridge had six points, with Brandon Roy adding two points to the mix. But with Matthews gunning from beyond the arc, Portland was continue to feed him and get out of the way, a strategy which worked early.