Luka Doncic made a triumphant return from a two-game absence, scoring 27 points as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 132-108 on Monday night. Daniel Gafford contributed 23 points off the bench, while Kyrie Irving added 20 in the win.
Doncic, who missed the previous two games due to a left heel contusion, shot 10 of 19 from the field, including 1 for 7 from beyond the arc. He also recorded seven rebounds and seven assists. The Mavericks have now won 14 of their last 17 games, bouncing back from a four-game losing streak earlier in the month.
Deni Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 19 points off the bench, while Deandre Ayton added 16, with 10 of those coming in the second quarter. The Blazers have struggled recently, losing eight of their last nine games.
Dallas dominated the second period, launching a 21-9 run and outscoring Portland 74-45 in the middle quarters. The Mavericks led by as many as 32 points in the fourth quarter.
In a notable performance, P.J. Washington scored 12 points in the first half, hitting all four of his field goal attempts, including two 3-pointers. The Mavericks had five players in double figures by halftime, following a season-high eight in their previous game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
A key moment in the game occurred when Klay Thompson rebounded a missed 3-pointer by Shaedon Sharpe with 17 seconds left in the half. Thompson then hit a 3-pointer with 8.3 seconds remaining, extending Dallas’ lead to 62-51, their largest of the half.
Looking ahead, the Mavericks will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas Day, while the Trail Blazers will begin a three-game homestand on Thursday against the Utah Jazz.
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