In his second game since returning from injury, Kyrie Irving displayed his skills and made a huge impact, particularly in the first half of the game. Irving demonstrated his ability to find his groove. He displayed a level of play that was reminiscent of his pre-injury form, yet he still managed to provide 22 points.

 

The Mavericks are extremely dependent on Irving’s production in order to maintain their competitive edge and provide Luka Doncic with the assistance he so desperately needs. Irving will likely benefit from playing against the Trail Blazers in a couple of exhibition games, since this will help him get back into his groove.

 

Mavericks’ Frequent Trips to the Free Throw Line: Dallas had an almost faultless performance against the Blazers, shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc and 50 percent overall at the free throw line. In spite of the fact that they were outstanding shooters, the Mavericks were also quite aggressive when it came to attacking the hoop, which led to a great deal of trips to the free throw line. There were a total of 41 free throws that they tried. But once again, they were plagued by their long-standing problem with free throw shooting, as they were only able to convert seventy percent of their tries. The good news is that this did not have any effect on the final score of the game.

 

Concerns Regarding Lively’s Ankle Injury Dereck Lively had a twisted ankle during the third quarter of the game, and he was unable to return to the game. It is a repeat of an ailment that he sustained against the same Blazers a few weeks ago, which caused him to miss four games. The Mavericks have classified it as a sprained ankle, and it is a manifestation of the same condition.

 

With Maxi Kleber out of the lineup and Jason Kidd seemingly disregarding Richaun Holmes, Dallas’s lack of depth in their big man rotation was exacerbated by Lively’s absence in the paint. Lively’s absence was keenly felt by the team. If Lively is unable to play for a prolonged length of time, it will have a huge influence on the frontcourt choices available to the Maverick organization. Despite the fact that Dwight Powell will be available, their rotation will be negatively impacted if Lively is not present.