Game 35: Portland Trail Blazers @ Dallas Mavericks | No Dirk, No Butler
January 4, 2011 — PDXPIPELINEBy Andy Popp
GAME 35: Blazers vs Dallas Mavericks
January 4, 5:30PM, Comcast Sports
Previous Match Up: Blazers 98 Mavericks 103 (Dec 15)
Related: Trail Blazers Games, Schedule, and WIN Tickets
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The Blazers are back on the road after two great home wins against the Houston Rocket and Utah Jazz. Their first stop on the trip is Dallas, where they will face the Mavericks tonight.
The Mavericks will be without Dirk Nowitzki (knee, day-to-day) and Caron Butler (knee, out for the season) tonight. The loss of Nowitzki and Butler puts DeShawn Stevenson and Jason Terry into the starting lineup. Terry, a perennial sixth man candidate, used to be the Mavericks' spark off the bench.
The Mavericks on paper:
Starting five: Shawn Marion, DeShawn Stevenson, Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry
Off the bench: Brian Cardinal, Brendan Haywood, Jose Juan Barea, Dominique Jones
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
Joel Pryzbilla is expected to see limited minutes tonight.
With no Nowitzki for the Mavericks tonight, this game should be LaMarcus Aldridge's time to shine. He's from Dallas, typically has a lot of family and friends in the stands and always seems to give it 100% in his hometown.
Caron Butler is out for the year with a torn tendon in his knee.
STRATEGY
The Mavericks are struggling to score without Nowitzki, and are 1-3 without him. The Blazers need to put the pressure on by scoring early, and keep it via the free throw line.
LET'S GET RICH
To date: 14-12-1.
Blazers +3. LaMarcus shines in his hometown and the Blazers get a nice road win.
TRADE ME
Rudy Fernandez
NUMBER OF BACK TO BACKS THIS SEASON (IN SETS)
9
NEXT 5
@ Houston
@ Minnesota
vs Miami
vs New York
@ Phoenix
BOTTOM LINE
With the Mavericks shorthanded, the Blazers' toughest test on the 3 game road trip suddenly is looking very winnable. Just don't get caught looking ahead to tomorrow night's game in Houston (back to back set #10).
