Bagley’s late surge powers Dallas past Portland, 100-93

Dallas survives Portland’s push, closes with Bagley’s muscle

Dallas doesn’t walk into Portland and cruise. The Mavericks build a 17-point cushion, watch the Trail Blazers claw all the way back, then lean on Marvin Bagley III to slam the door in a 100-93 win at the Moda Center.

The Mavs look in control early. They jump to a 32-22 lead after one, and Bagley starts setting the tone as the game settles into a physical, paint-heavy battle. Dallas’ first major punch comes on a K. Thompson 3PT that caps a 10-0 run and stretches the lead from 16-16 to 26-16. That burst is important because Portland never really gets comfortable after it. Dallas keeps generating easy offense, and by the second quarter the lead reaches 17 at 54-37. Portland answers with a 10-0 run of its own, sparked by a R. Williams III alley-oop dunk from Deni Avdija, and a little later Donovan Clingan finishes a cutting layup off another Avdija dime to trim the margin back to 53-56. For a moment, the Blazers look ready to flip the game.

But Dallas keeps finding just enough offense to stay ahead. Portland’s best stretch comes in the third, when Toumani Camara tips in a layup to pull the Blazers from down four to a 66-64 lead. That’s the turning point in the sense that Portland finally gets over the hump — but it’s also the moment Dallas answers like a veteran team. The Mavericks steady themselves, and the late-quarter sequence becomes a grind. By the end of three, Dallas has nudged back in front 79-76, setting up a fourth quarter that stays tight until the final minutes.

That’s where the game belongs to Bagley. Portland keeps hanging around, and Naji Marshall hits a floating jumper at 4:48 to make it 91-85, but Dallas answers every pressure check. The defense starts to matter too: Bagley records a steal at 3:46, Toumani Camara gets one at 3:42, and then the real dagger-sized plays arrive. Deni Avdija drives for a layup at 3:32, then adds a finger-roll finish at 3:07 to keep Dallas on the front foot. Portland claws back again when Jrue Holiday drills a three at 2:25 to tie the game 92-92, but Dallas has the sharper closer. Bagley scores on a cutting layup at 2:04, then explodes for the back-breaking moment with 44.1 seconds left, driving the baseline and throwing down a reverse dunk to make it 96-92. That’s the play that breaks Portland’s resistance for good.

Bagley’s line jumps off the page: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists in 27 minutes on 79% shooting. He wasn’t just efficient; he was forceful. Every big Dallas possession late seemed to end with him either rolling hard, finishing through contact, or beating Portland’s back line to the rim. Cooper Flagg adds 24 points and four steals in 38 minutes, bringing energy on both ends, while Jrue Holiday chips in 23 with a crucial second-half shooting touch. Deni Avdija stuffs the box score with 20 points, nine boards, and six assists, and Naji Marshall gives Dallas needed secondary creation while also collecting five steals. On the Portland side, the frontcourt activity keeps them alive — Clingan’s 17 rebounds are huge, and Camara’s hustle helps fuel the comeback — but the Blazers never find enough scoring punch to overcome the early deficit and Dallas’ late shot-making.

In the end, this is a road win built on response more than dominance. Portland threatens twice, first in the second quarter and again when it grabs that brief third-quarter lead, but Dallas answers both times and finishes the game with the best player at the rim. The Mavericks leave with a win that could matter in the standings, while Portland is left with another reminder that a strong defensive stretch only goes so far if the offense can’t sustain it against a team that can close.