PORTLAND, Ore. _ In their first game without Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks players honored him by writing his name and initials on their sneakers.
Then they went out and emulated Powell's relentless style of play, charging to a 25-point lead and surviving a big Portland rally and Damian Lillard's 47 points, winning 133-125 Thursday night at Moda Center.
Freshly anointed All-Star starter Luka Doncic led the Mavericks (28-16) with 27 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Kristap Porzingis, in his second game back from a 10-game absence, scored 20 points and pulled down five rebounds.
But it was the bench play of Jalen Brunson (17 points) and Maxi Kleber (15 points) that helped Dallas withstand a 17-0 Blazers third-quarter run, and improve its road record to 15-5.
Before the game, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle described Powell, lost to a right Achilles rupture during Tuesday night's home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, as "in many ways, unreplaceable."
Carlisle said the Mavericks will have to make X and O adjustments on a game-by-game basis. On this night, Porzingis slid over to starting center, ex-Blazer Seth Curry entered the starting lineup and Tim Hardaway Jr. moved to small forward.
The Mavericks came out firing from 3-point distance. Eight Mavericks made 3-pointers as Dallas took a 78-65 halftime lead, tying their season high for a first half.
It was the eighth time this season that Dallas has scored at least 70 points in the first half, and the third time it has happened in the last four games.
"It's a big task and we're going to have to adjust," Carlisle said losing Powell. "He's so much of what we're about, in terms of our culture and how we approach everything day-to-day."
It was J.J. Barea's idea to have Mavericks players write Powell's name and initials on their shoes. Dirk Nowitzki's retirement in April left Barea and Powell as the longest-tenured Mavericks.
"Me and Dwight have always had a great connection," Barea said. "It's tough. I think it still hasn't hit us that he's out. He's one of the best guys I've ever met in my life, not only in basketball but as a person, so it's tough. We've definitely got to keep him around, some way, somehow."
The Mavericks extended their lead to 95-68 in the third quarter, but Portland went on a 17-0 Lillard-led run, but 3-pointers by Curry and Dorian Finney-Smith helped blunt the rally.
