Rookie Farrell's 32 points propel Mavs past Trail Blazers
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Rookie guard Yogi Ferrell scored 32 points, including nine 3-point shots, to lift the Dallas Mavericks past the Portland Trail Blazers 108-104 on Friday night at Moda Center.
Wesley Matthews added a season-high 27 points for the Mavericks (20-30), who won their fourth straight game and ninth in the last 12.
CJ McCollum collected 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Evan Turner scored a season-high 24 points for the Trail Blazers (22-29), who lost for the second time in seven games.
Ferrell bombed in 22 points -- making 8 of 11 from the field, including 6 of 7 from 3-point range -- and Matthews added 18 to stake Dallas to a 60-47 halftime advantage.
Portland outscored Dallas 16-7 to begin the third quarter to narrow the gap to 67-63. The Mavericks scored seven straight points to hike the lead to 74-63, but the Trail Blazers closed to 78-73. Dallas took an 84-76 edge into the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks led 92-85 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Blazers closed quickly. Al-Farouq Aminu's 3-point shot tied the score at 92 with 4:12 to play. Dirk Nowitzki answered with a 3 for a 95-92 Dallas lead, but McCollum sank two free throws to make it 95-94 with 3:43 remaining.
Seth Curry scored on a layup for a 97-94 Mavericks advantage, but McCollum's jump shot cut it to 97-96 with 3:07 to go. Curry's trey upped Dallas' lead to 100-96 with 2:20 to go, then hit two at the line for a 102-96 edge with 1:50 left.
Aminu rattled in a 3-pointer and it was 102-99 with 1:41 remaining. Turner followed with a reverse layup that trimmed the Mavericks' lead to 102-101 with 37.5 seconds left.
When Ferrell buried a 3-pointer from the top with 19.3 seconds to go, Dallas was on top 105-101. McCollum knocked down a 3 to cut the lead to 105-104 with 14.6 seconds on the clock.
Matthews hit two free throws for a 107-104 advantage with 14.0 seconds left.
McCollum and Damian Lillard each missed 3-point attempts to tie on Portland's next possession.
Dorian Finney-Smith closed the scoring with a free throw with 2.2 ticks left.
Dallas started 7 of 7 from the field, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range, and led 17-4. It was 30-10 before Portland stopped the bleeding. The Mavericks, with Matthews scoring 12 points, led 35-22 after one quarter.
The Mavericks extended the margin to 52-28 on Ferrell's fifth 3-pointer of the game midway through the second quarter. The Blazers cut the difference to 13 points at the half.
NOTES: Portland forward Ed Davis (wrist) returned to action after missing the previous five games. ... Dallas was missing C Andrew Bogut (hamstring) G JJ Barea (calf), G Deron Williams (toe and G Devin Harris (illness). "We're thin in the backcourt," Coach Rick Carlisle said. "We'll have to play a little bigger from time to time. We'll get something together." ... Dallas G Seth Curry has scored in double figures in each of the last nine games, averaging 15.0 points. "He's been very consistent, very solid playing both guard positions," Carlisle said. "With the other guys out, he's going to be handling the ball even more." ... Portland G Allen Crabbe has had four 20-point games in the last 12. In his last four games, Crabbe is shooting 23 of 38 from the field, including 9 of 16 from 3-point range.