The Portland Trail Blazers hadn’t won consecutive games since mid-November and hadn’t beaten the Dallas Mavericks in nearly two years.

That changed Saturday night when the Blazers beat Dallas 126-122 at the Moda Center.

The Mavericks had to do without superstar Luka Doncic (calf), but played at the Phoenix Suns on Friday evening and won.

But none of that detracts from the Blazers’ overall performance, even if they almost lost a 21-point lead in this game after a good start.

“I liked the way we came out of the gates,” said acting head coach Nate Bjorkgren. “I really liked our preparedness in the first quarter and the strength and speed with which we played. I like the way we started the game. I liked the way we finished the game.”

Four players scored at least 20 points. Shaedon Sharpe led the Blazers with 23 points on 9 of 18 shooting. Deandre Ayton scored 21 points with 16 rebounds. Scoot Henderson came off the bench to score 19 points with six assists. Anfernee Simons scored 22 and Deni Avdija added 21.

“I found our team to be extremely connected,” Björkgren said.

Portland led by 18 points in the first quarter and shot 55.6%. Ayton scored 11 points and Sharpe added 10.

The Blazers, who led 69-59 at halftime, started the third quarter well and built a 91-72 lead late in the quarter.

The Mavericks continued to fight and finally got going, cutting their deficit to 102-97 after Kyrie Irving scored on a long three-point bank shot that bounced up and in. Seconds later, he hit a baseline jumper that did the same thing.

Irving also hit a three-pointer to cut Dallas’ deficit to 117-111 with about two minutes left. But Simons came back and hit a three-pointer to extend the Blazers’ lead to 120-111.

The Blazers held on from there.

Irving led all scorers with 46 points, including 20 in the fourth on 6-of-7 shooting.

“Kyrie is hard to guard and we tried to throw everything we could at him,” Björkgren.

The key, Ayton said, is not to be discouraged by Irving and the Mavericks’ big players.

Instead, the Blazers answered every single question.

“Making our own baskets really slowed them down,” Ayton said. “Making baskets really took the air out of them.”

WHAT IT MEANS

The Blazers (11-20) ended a six-game losing streak against the Mavericks (20-12). Portland’s last win came in January 2023, when they won two home games during a weekend series with Damian Lillard leading the team.

Dallas won its first two games this season, including a 132-108 home win on Monday.

These two teams will meet for the last time on January 9th in Dallas.

CAMARA OFF

Blazers forward Toumani Camra was sidelined with an ankle sprain he suffered in Thursday’s win over the Utah Jazz.

“He stepped on his foot there in the Utah game,” Bjorkgren said during his pregame media session.

Avdija started in Camara’s place.

Next

The Blazers host the Philadelphia 76ers (12-17) on Monday at 7 p.m.

— Aaron Fentress | [email protected] | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook)