Trail Blazers at Mavericks
THE STORY: Before the Dallas Mavericks became NBA champions last summer, they had they all they could handle in a first-round series with the Portland Trail Blazers. The teams will face off Saturday night for the first time since the Mavericks ousted the Trail Blazers, winning the final two outings of the series to advance in seven tough games. Both teams come in off victories a night earlier, with Portland defeating New Orleans and Dallas upending Minnesota.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Fox Sports Southwest
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (15-12): Jamal Crawford wasn't with Portland for last year's thrilling playoff showdown, but he's proving to be a valuable asset to this year's roster. One of the league's top sixth men, Crawford paced the Trail Blazers with 31 points and eight assists in just 29 minutes as Portland defeated the Hornets 94-86. Crawford is averaging nearly 20 points in six games so far in February while shooting a blistering 90.9 percent (20 for 22) from the free-throw line.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (16-11): Dirk Nowitzki is finally starting to resemble the player who took home NBA Finals MVP honors last June. Nowitzki torched the Timberwolves for 33 points on Friday night, his second 30-point effort in the last four games. The 33-year-old is averaging 28 points over his last four contests, raising his season average above the 18-point mark. Saturday kicks off a three-game homestand for the Mavericks, with games against the L.A. Clippers and Denver Nuggets to follow.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Mavericks are 7-3 when scoring between 90 and 99 points; the Trail Blazers are just 3-4.
2. Nowitzki averages 20.7 points and 7.9 rebounds in 46 career games against Portland.