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Mavs and Blazers begin West quarters in Big D

Apr 16, 2011 - 2:39 PM (Sports Network) - One of the most intriguing matchups in the first round of the NBA playoffs kicks off in Big D Saturday when the third-seeded Dallas Mavericks tip off their Western Conference quarterfinals set with the Portland Trail Blazers.

If he hasn't already, Blazers head coach Nate McMillan should give himself a pat on the back for what his team was able to accomplish this season. McMillan was strapped when oft-injured center Greg Oden went down for the season and star guard Brandon Roy missed significant time with chronic knee issues.

Roy has been relegated to shorter spurts on the floor but the Blazers were able to get some help in other areas to capture the sixth seed in the Western Conference playoff race for the second year in a row.

Portland will face the No. 3 seed Dallas Mavericks in the quarterfinals, a matchup that doesn't bode well for the inhabitants of the Northwest Division. The Trail Blazers have reached the postseason in each of the previous four years and were eliminated in the first round of last year's postseason in six games by the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix didn't even reach the playoffs this year.

"It's a great accomplishment for this team and all (the players) had to go through -- different guys having to fill in and make adjustments because of all our injuries," McMillan said. "Guys stepped in and played good basketball and gave us an opportunity to play in the postseason. Now we're there. The next goal is to get out of the first round."

The Blazers haven't reached the second round of the playoffs since the 1999-00 campaign and will rely on All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge for support in the upcoming run.

Aldridge led the team in scoring with a career-best 21.8 points per game and also pulled down 8.8 rebounds a contest. With Roy practically relegated to a reserve role, Aldridge had to carry the load until the Blazers made a move with Charlotte to acquire veteran Gerald Wallace. The addition of Wallace even has fellow veteran Marcus Camby optimistic.

"I feel more excited than last year going into the playoffs," Camby said. "The acquisition of Gerald brings us versatility and depth. We can rely on the bench a whole lot more and won't have to have guys playing heavy minutes."

Wesley Matthews has done an admirable job in Roy's place as the starter, while Andre Miller, Nicolas Batum and Rudy Fernandez are solid components to McMillan's philosophy. Camby's rebounding and presence inside is another plus.

Making the playoffs has been a birthright for the Mavericks, who have reached the postseason 11 straight years. With no NBA title, however, this year could be the one Dallas finally gets over the hump.

Dallas, which was seeded second last season and lost in six games to the rival San Antonio Spurs, recorded at least 50 wins in 11 consecutive seasons, becoming just the third team in NBA history to do that. It hopes a stumble down the stretch doesn't turn into a disastrous showing in the playoffs.

"We got over the four-game losing streak," Mavs star reserve Jason Terry said. "We're past it and the playoffs are approaching fast so every moment is going to be intense especially out there on the floor.

"Last year we got put out in the first round, but this year we don't see that happening, and if we got out and play Mavericks basketball every second while we're out there on the floor, we're looking at a long run."

Terry is just one of many weapons for head coach Rick Carlisle, as superstar Dirk Nowitzki leads a list a contributors that include Shawn Marion, J.J. Barea, Jason Kidd, and Tyson Chandler. Unfortunately, the chances of tough forward Caron Butler returning for the postseason after rupturing his patella tendon seem unlikely.

Nowitzki and the Mavericks split four meetings with Portland in the regular season. Nowitzki averaged 21.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in three games against the Blazers and also missed some time this season with a knee injury. The Mavericks have always been a tough sell at home, while Portland has lost 13 of 15 and 16 of its last 19 games in Big D.

Portland and Dallas have met in the playoffs three times previously, with the Trail Blazers winning two of the three series. Portland is 9-5 against the Mavericks in postseason play. The last time these two squads met in the playoffs was in 2003.

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday in Dallas.