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Mavericks hold off Blazers, take 3-2 series lead

Apr 26, 2011 - 3:49 AM Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks put Saturday's collapse behind them in Game 5, as the German sharpshooter scored 25 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead Dallas to a 93-82 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in this Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Dallas blew a 23-point lead in Game 4's 84-82 loss to fall back into a tie in the series. But Monday's frontcourt effort and shutdown defense in the fourth quarter have the Mavs headed back to Portland holding a 3-2 series edge.

Jason Terry added 20 points, Shawn Marion scored 14 and Tyson Chandler put up 14 points and 20 boards, 13 coming on the offensive end for the victors. Jason Kidd chipped in 14 assists to make up for a 1-for-7 shooting night.

"I was just trying to be aggressive," Chandler said. "Tonight was a big game for us and we didn't want to go back to their place down in the series."

Andre Miller posted 18 points and seven assists for the Blazers, who were beaten on the glass, 49-37, but head into Game 6 on Thursday knowing they own an 8-1 home playoff record against Dallas.

Portland ended the first quarter on an 8-0 run en route to a 20-15 lead, and Dallas responded by scoring the final seven points of the second for a slim 44-43 lead at the break.

The Mavericks took 14 free throws in the first half -- compared to one for Portland -- then made 13-of-17 from the foul line in the third quarter to take control.

"Big keys. Tyson [Chandler] on the boards ... and also allowing them to get into the penalty early," said Blazers head coach Nate McMillan, who was fined by the NBA for criticizing officials in a Game 1 loss and was hit with a technical foul late in the third quarter on Monday. "They just dominated the free throw line: 35 free throws to 19."

Nowitzki scored 11 points in the frame and hit two free throws with 5:23 remaining to start a quarter-ending 19-8 stretch that Marion capped with jump hook shot for a 75-63 advantage.

The Trail Blazers couldn't muster another miraculous comeback in the final 12 minutes.

Brandon Roy, spurred on by the Rose Garden crowd in an epic 18-point fourth- quarter effort to spark Saturday's rally, opened the final frame with a jumper, but Portland went the next seven-plus minutes without hitting a field goal.

By the time Miller ended the visitors' drought with a layup with 4:09 to go, the Mavericks had built an 89-69 lead, allowing them to cruise to the finish line.

Game Notes

The home team has won in all nine meetings between the teams this year, including the four regular season showdowns...Chandler's 13 offensive rebounds was a franchise playoff record...Gerald Wallace and LaMarcus Aldridge each grabbed nine rebounds to go with 16 and 12 points, respectively...Roy was held to five points on 2-of-7 shooting...Portland shot 31.3 percent in the fourth quarter...Dallas went 26-of-35 from the foul line, compared to Portland's 14- of-19 showing.