Portland Trail Blazers vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction

Portland Trail Blazers vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction comes ahead of their NBA regular season clash on Saturday, March 20th 2021, at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Read my match preview for the correct score predictions and best betting tips ahead of this fixture.

Portland Trail Blazers vs Dallas Mavericks Preview

Damian Lillard had 36 points and no assists for the first time this season, as the perennial All-Star guard endured another rough shooting night from most of his teammates to carry them home against the Pels overnight. 

Derrick Jones Jr, CJ McCollum and Gary Trent Jr combined for a lowly 22 points on 7-of-38 (18.4%) shooting. Carmelo Anthony (15 pts, 6-of-12) was efficient in 24 minutes from the bench, while Robert Covington (10 pts, 10 rebs) and Enes Kanter (16 pts, 13 rebs) both recorded double-doubles.

It goes without saying they'll have to be better against a Dallas side who bounced back in style to sting the Clippers earlier this week, as Luka Doncic's 42-point effort was predictably decisive against a familiar foe. 

Portland Trail Blazers vs Dallas Mavericks Betting Tips

ESPN's BPI is leaning towards a Dallas win (56%), but the small percentage margins reinforce the belief this is an evenly-matched clash between two Western Conference contenders separated by a few games right now.

Portland is 13-7 at home and strung together successive gritty wins over the New Orleans Pelicans, while Dallas split their two-game series against the LA Clippers by winning 105-89 on Thursday. 

It's a close encounter to call, but I'm leaning towards a hard-fought Dallas win as Blazers C Jusuf Nurkic (wrist) remains sidelined, and their defence has been unconvincing, to say the least. Doncic and co should do enough to ultimately close out in the clutch, even with a Lillard-McCollum backcourt duo back in tow.