Wrong answer for Blazers Nowitzki,

Terry lead

the Mavericks

GEOFFREY C. ARNOLD

The big question for the Trail Blazers against Dallas on Wednesday night was how they would perform after an emotional win.

The answer was flat and sluggish in the first half but much more energized and focused in the second half. The second-half performance wasn't enough to help the Blazers overcome a 10-point halftime deficit, and they lost to the Mavericks 93-89 at the Rose Garden.

The Blazers closed to within 88-86 after a driving layup by Travis Outlaw with 56 seconds remaining, but Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki, who had 29 points in the game, made a long-range jump shot with 17.1 seconds remaining in the game to give the Mavericks a 90-86 lead.

The Blazers couldn't convert their own opportunities down the stretch and let a game get away. LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers with 23 points, and he also had 11 rebounds. Brandon Roy had 22 points, but he made just 7 of 20 shots from the floor and committed four turnovers. Dallas backup guard Jason Terry added 24 points.

Coming off a big win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, the Blazers didn't have much time to enjoy the victory. Locked in a tight race for the division title and favorable seeding in the Western Conference as the regular season winds down, the Blazers know every remaining game is comparable to a playoff game.

But every game is a like a playoff game for the Mavericks as well. They are trying to move up from the eighth spot in the standings, and they know --as well as the Blazers --that every win or loss is critical. In fact, the eighth-place Mavericks' win put them just one-half game behind Portland.

Nowitzki's hot shooting got the Mavericks going quickly in the first quarter. Planting himself between the top of the key and the free throw line, the All-Star forward used a variety of spins that led to step-back shots and fadeaway jumpers to torment the Blazers' defenders.

Nowitzki scored eight consecutive points early in the first quarter to help the Mavericks build an 18-14 lead with 3:41 remaining. Nowitzki scored 11 points in the first quarter for the Mavericks.

The Blazers struggled with their shooting in the quarter, making 9 of 23 shots (39.1 percent). Aldridge (3 of 6 from the floor) and Travis Outlaw (1 for 1) were the only Portland players able to shoot at least 50 percent from the floor in the quarter.

The Blazers' offensive rebounding was the reason they were able to stay close to the Mavericks. The Blazers had five offensive rebounds and five second-chance points in the quarter. Steve Blake led the Blazers with nine points as the Blazers led the Mavericks 25-24 after the first quarter.

Nowitzki wasn't the only Dallas player shooting well. Terry came off the bench and immediately started causing the Blazers grief in the second quarter. Nowitzki and Terry combined to score 21 points in the quarter to help the Mavericks outscore the Blazers 30-19 in the second quarter. And if it wasn't Nowitzki and Terry scoring, speedy guard Jose Barea was flying by Portland defenders on his way to eight first-half points.

Meanwhile, the Blazer continued to experience shooting issues, going five of 17 from the floor. The Blazers' rebounding wasn't much help in the second quarter, because the Mavericks outrebounded the Blazers 13-8 and made 11 of 20 shots (55 percent) in the quarter to take a 54-44 lead at halftime.

The Blazers conclude their four-game homestand with a game against New Jersey on Friday night at the Rose Garden. They will begin a five-game trip in Atlanta on Sunday before going to Memphis, Indiana, Cleveland and Milwaukee and returning to the Rose Garden against Philadelphia on March 23.