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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
DALLAS (AP) -- Stung by criticism from Portland star Scottie
Pippen, Dallas Mavericks guard Michael Finley showed that he is
indeed ready for prime time.
Finley scored 32 points, and Hubert Davis hit three late
3-pointers as Dallas beat Portland 113-105 on Saturday night to end
an eight-game losing streak against the Trail Blazers.
Pippen has questioned Finley's All-Star game credentials because
Finley is playing for a non-contending team, and Finley wanted to
prove to his old summer rival from Chicago that he deserves his
first All-Star berth.
"I heard about what he said and that gave me a little
incentive," said Finley, who was 13-for-25 from the field and
added eight assists and six rebounds. "I had incentive to prove to
him and to the league that I belong in the All-Star game."
Finley said Pippen was knocking Finley's All-Star game chances
because "he (Pippen) isn't having an All-Star season. I hope I
proved something to someone tonight."
After the game, Pippen said, "Mike's playing on a bad team,
that's a true fact."
The Mavericks didn't play like a 12-24 team against the Blazers,
drawing energy from their first home sellout of the season.
The Trail Blazers were playing their third game in four nights
and didn't arrive in their hotel from Friday night's game in
Phoenix until early Saturday morning.
"We knew if we got them from the jump, they had tired legs,"
Finley said. "The crowd was into it from the opening jump and we
seemed to get adrenaline from that."
Davis finished with 21 points, including two free throws with
43.5 seconds to play to extend the Mavericks' lead to 109-105.
Finley added two foul shots with 30.4 seconds remaining, and
Erick Strickland made a free throw with 12.9 seconds left as Dallas
scored the last five points after Greg Anthony's layup with 53
seconds left pulled the Blazers within two at 107-105.
Strickland and Cedric Ceballos had 17 points each.
Pippen scored 22 points, Steve Smith added 19 and Anthony had 18
for the Trail Blazers.
Finley's ability to penetrate the lane and draw the Portland
defense created jump shot opportunities for his teammates.
"It's great to have a great player like Michael Finley," Davis
said. "He got the ball into the right people's hands and also
scored himself. We needed to finish a game like this. It's a huge
confidence boost for us."
Said Strickland: "Mike stepped up and showed what he's capable
of. He deserves to be on the All-Star team."
Portland, which started the night as the league's No. 1
defensive team (allowing 88.4 points per game), rallied after
trailing by 22 points early in the third quarter to cut the deficit
to one midway through the final quarter.
The Trail Blazers were within 83-71 entering the final quarter,
and kept their rally going in the fourth quarter. Portland opened
with an 13-2 spurt capped by Anthony's 3-pointer with 9:00 to play
to pull within one at 85-84.
But the Mavericks answered with a 12-4 run, completed by Davis'
consecutive 3-pointers, to extend their lead to 97-88 with 5:46
left.
Finley had 17 first-half points as the Mavericks built a 61-43
lead at the intermission.
"We got in at four in the morning, but that shouldn't be an
excuse," Trail Blazers forward Detlef Schrempf said. "In the
first half our energy level was nonexistent."
The Mavericks, well rested after three days without a game,
snapped the Trail Blazers' four-game winning streak.
Dallas has won three of its last four overall. Portland had
beaten Dallas in 15 of their previous 16 meetings.
Game notes
Portland's Rasheed Wallace was ejected after picking up his
second technical foul in the third quarter. ... Mavericks
owner-to-be Mark Cuban missed his first game since announcing his
purchase of the team. Cuban was attending an out-of-town wedding.
The Internet billionaire and longtime season ticket holder had been
conspicuous at the two games since he agreed to buy majority
interest in the team from Ross Perot Jr. ... Schrempf was guarding
Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki during long stretches of the game. Schrempf
and Nowitzki are the two biggest names in German basketball. ...
Mavericks power forward Gary Trent missed his fifth straight game
with a strained groin. ... After the game, the Mavericks signed
guard Greg Buckner to a second 10-day contract.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
Dallas Clubhouse
RECAPS
Detroit 112
Washington 107
Philadelphia 101
Atlanta 98
Boston 99
New Jersey 96
Indiana 96
Orlando 89
Dallas 113
Portland 105
LA Lakers 104
Minnesota 91
New York 91
Charlotte 79
Houston 93
Chicago 90
Milwaukee 118
Toronto 97
Utah 112
LA Clippers 75
Sacramento 114
Golden State 99
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