Mavs vs. Trail Blazers Preview: 'Dame Time' Meets 'Luka Magic'

After their respective stars in Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard produced superstar stat lines on Thursday, the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers make for quite the duel at the Moda Center on Saturday.

Luka Doncic and Damian Lillard showcased their star power on Thursday night. Doncic put on a masterclass clutch performance in a double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers, and Lillard dropped an efficient 50 points in a close loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Will the heroics of "Luka Magic" and "Lillard Time" make an appearance on Saturday?

Coming into the first game of a back-to-back weekend schedule, the Dallas Mavericks face the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda center. Both teams are coming off explosive nights, albeit on the opposite side of the win-loss column.

Portland, losers of five consecutive games, desperately need to find footing in a parity-filled Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Mavs trend close to mediocrity with a 2-3 stretch in their last five games. Something must give between these two teams, and a Saturday-night contest with an immediate sequel the following day will tell a little more about where they stand in the Western Conference playoff race when it’s over. 

As with most teams in the NBA, Saturday's injury report almost has enough people to fill out a starting lineup. For the Mavs, it's more of the same, with Josh Green (right elbow sprain), Dorian Finney-Smith (right adductor strain), and Maxi Kleber (right hamstring tear) still listed as out. Christian Wood is also questionable with an ankle sprain he suffered in the win over the Lakers on Thursday.

For the Blazers, Lillard is currently listed as questionable due to a left ankle sprain. Justise Winslow as out as he's also dealing with a left ankle sprain. Blazers forward Nassir Little, seems to have it worse, as he's out of action due to a right femoral head impaction fracture. 

Dallas has a six-game winning streak over Portland, dating back to the 2020-21 season. The last contest between the two saw the Mavericks blowout the Blazers 130-110, with much thanks to Doncic and Christian Wood combining for 65 points. While the Mavericks haven't collectively showcased a strong outing recently, that could change on Saturday due to Portland being a favorable matchup. 

Wood averaged two blocks per contest in his last five games, including five shot rejections vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. With Wood firmly in the starting lineup and motivated on both sides of the ball, this could spell trouble for a Portland team lacking frontcourt defense … that is, if Wood is able to play.

Despite the injury-riddled rosters of both teams, the superstars ultimately hold the power of influence in the win-loss column. Doncic and Lillard have the power to catapult an ordinary contest into an instant classic. 

FUN FACT: Doncic and Lillard combine for an average of 64 points in their 13 career games played against each other. No. 77 holds the advantage in the win column with a 7-6 record over Lillard. 

RECORDS: Dallas Mavericks (24-19), Portland Trail Blazers (19-22)

WHEN: Saturday, January 14, 2023 - 9:00 p.m. CT

WHERE: Moda Center (Portland, OR)

TV: Bally Sports Southwest, League Pass

Radio: 97.1 The Freak

ODDS: The Blazers are 1.5 favorites over the Mavs.

NEXT UP: The Mavs face the Blazers again on Sunday night in Portland. 

FINAL WORD: Although the Mavs' offense currently functions as a Doncic-or-nothing design, the theatrics of it all make for a great show. Lillard and Doncic share the same adoration for the camera. Crunch time is where both players show the world the beauty of their games, while reveling in the pressure of which most players crumble. 

Regardless of the score, appreciate their greatness, as showman such as these only come around so often.

“Any time you’ve got 77 on the floor … you’ve got a great chance to win the ballgame,” said Tim Hardaway Jr.

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