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The Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers will lock horns with each other for an exciting 2021-22 NBA Western Conference clash at Moda Center on Monday.
The Mavericks have been in dismal form of late, having lost six of their last ten games. They went down 116-120 to the Utah Jazz in their previous outing. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers haven't impressed either. They were defeated 97-111 by the New Orleans Pelicans in their last match. It was Portland's eighth loss in ten games.
Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Portland Trail Blazers | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Monday, December 27th, 10:00 PM ET [Tuesday, December 28th, 8:30 AM]
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have been struggling with injuries and a lack of form in recent weeks. They are two games below .500 in the standings and would be keen to stem the rot against the struggling Portland Trail Blazers.
The Mavericks put up a decent fight against the Jazz in their previous outing, despite missing plenty of key players due to COVID and injuries. Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Brunson led the charge for the shorthanded Dallas team by scoring 27 points apiece.
The Dallas Mavericks couldn't have done any better, considering how depleted their roster was. Nevertheless, they have a lot of positives to take home as they prepare for their game. They were pretty aggressive all night, drawing fouls efficiently. The Mavs made 35 trips to the free-throw line, grabbing 30 points from there alone.
Key Player - Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis has performed decently whenever the Dallas Mavericks have been missing key players, especially talisman Luka Doncic. Porzingis has continued to display his caliber on offense and has also worked on bringing out the intensity on the other end of the floor.
The Portland Trail Blazers' offense remains lethal despite their recent losing form. Porzingis will have to make sure he can impact the game on both ends again to give the Mavericks a healthy chance in this game.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Jalen Brunson, G - Frank Ntilikina, F - Sterling Brown, F - Kristaps Porzingis, C - Dwight Powell.
Portland Trail Blazers Preview
The Portland Trail Blazers were finally looking a lot more stable with thumping wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies last week. However, that run did not last long following their loss to the Pelicans.
Portland was very much in the game until the end of the third quarter. However, they were outscored 30-19 in the fourth quarter, which led to their loss. Damian Lillard was the lone bright spot for the team, as he scored 39 points on 54% shooting (six threes).
The Portland Trail Blazers mainly struggled on second-chance opportunities, grabbing 50-50 balls. They were outrebounded 41-33 and outscored in the paint 48-38 during that contest. The Trail Blazers are also dealing with a covid outbreak in their camp like the Dallas Mavericks. They will play without several stars, including Jusuf Nurkic and Robert Covington.
Key Player - Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is listed as questionable for this game due to personal reasons. If he plays, he will be key to the Portland Trail Blazers' hopes of winning against the Dallas Mavericks. Lillard has been in sensational form since his return from injury. He has averaged 31.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game across his last six appearances.
Portland Trail Blazers Predicted Lineup
G - Damian Lillard, G - Anfernee Simons, F - Nassir Little, F - Norman Powell, C - Larry Nance Jr.
Mavericks vs Trail Blazers Match Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers are both equally troubled by COVID and injuries. It will be interesting to see which team prevails against adversity to claim victory in what appears to be an important game for both sides. The Mavericks, despite their recent loss against the Jazz, seemed to be in great form for most of the match.
They have been playing with a depleted roster longer than Portland, so that experience may help them emerge as winners of this game.
Where to watch Mavericks vs Trail Blazers
Bally Sports Southwest and ROOT SPORTS PLUS will carry out local coverage of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers. Fans can also view the match online via NBA League Pass.
