CJ McCollum scored 32 points (21 on 7 3-pointers), and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Dallas Mavericks 125-119.
Carmelo Anthony’s driving dunk put the Trail Blazers ahead for good with 4:04 left in the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks got within 115-112 on Luka Dončić’s driving layup with 2:36 to play, but McCollum answered with a step-back 3-pointer, and the Mavericks got no closer than 118-114.
During clutch time, the Trail Blazers outscored the Mavericks 15-2. Damian Lillard (No. 1 in clutch wins added, 2020-21) scored 4 of the Trail Blazers’ 15 on 2 for 3 shooting. With 4:07 left, Derrick Jones Jr. stole the ball from Dončić, and Anthony’s driving dunk off it put the Trail Blazers ahead 111-110.
Lillard had 31 points and 6 assists. The Trail Blazers had 2 30-point scorers.
For the Mavericks, Dončić had 38 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists, and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 25 points (21 on 7 3-pointers) on 9 for 14 shooting.
The Trail Blazers grabbed 13 offensive rebounds to the Mavericks’ 5. The Trail Blazers made 22 3-pointers, 7 of them by McCollum and 4 by Lillard. The Mavericks forced 6 turnovers, about 6 fewer than usual for this many possessions.