Dallas 91, Portland 80

DALLAS (AP) — Josh Howard had 23 points and a season-high 14 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks overcame a weak performance by Dirk Nowitzki for a 91-80 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

Jason Terry added 17 points and Devin Harris had 14 points and seven assists for the Mavericks, who extended their home winning streak against the Blazers to nine games.

Dallas-area native and former University of Texas star LaMarcus Aldridge led the Trail Blazers with 22 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high five blocked shots.

Nowitzki, the defending league MVP, began the night averaging 21.7 points, but was 0-for-5 in the first quarter and went without a point for the game’s opening 20 minutes and 45 seconds. He finally converted a three-point play to give the Mavericks a 36-30 lead. Nowitzki finished with 11 points.

Aldridge drew the primary defensive assignment on Nowitzki, who missed 10 of 15 shots from the floor.

Steve Blake had 12 points and Sergio Rodriguez added 10 for the Trail Blazers, winless (0-8) on the road this season.

Portland had lost 13 straight to Dallas until the Blazers beat the Mavericks on Nov. 10 in Portland, 91-82, behind Roy’s 32 points. Roy had only eight points in Friday night’s rematch.

Howard scored six points during an 8-0 third-quarter run to stretch Dallas’ advantage to 66-47.

The Mavericks went 14-for-19 from the field in the third quarter and took a 76-59 lead.

The Blazers got within 76-65 with 9:10 left on back-to-back baskets by Aldridge.

Howard converted a three-point play and Jason Terry drained a 3-pointer with 8:24 remaining to build the lead back to 81-65.

Portland made one last charge, using an 8-0 run capped by Blake’s 3-pointer with 1:48 left to pull to 86-80.

But Harris hit two free throws with 1:13 remaining, Terry hit a jumper with 36 seconds left, and Terry converted one of two free throws with 14.9 seconds left to ice the win.

Nowitzki scored seven of Dallas’ last 11 points of the second quarter and the Mavericks entered halftime with a 44-36 lead despite shooting a chilly 39 percent from the floor (18-for-46).

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