Ferrell leads Mavericks to 108-104 win over Trail Blazers
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Yogi Ferrell scored 32 points to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 108-104 on Friday night.
Ferrell, who signed a 10-day contract with the Mavericks six days ago, had 22 points at the half - shattering his previous career-high of 17. He's scored 71 points so far this week.
Dallas built its lead up to 22 points before Portland rallied to within one. Farrell answered with a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to give the Mavericks a cushion.
Former Blazers guard Wesley Matthews added 27 points for the Mavericks.
CJ McCollum scored 28 points, including buzzer-beaters at the end of the 2nd and 3rd quarters, to lead the Trail Blazers. Evan Turner added 24 points.
After a 4-17 start to the season, the Mavericks are well within striking distance for the eighth seed after winning eight of their last 11 games and four straight.
"It's great that we've put ourselves in a position for these games to be meaningful," Carlisle said.
Dallas is now two games back of the Denver Nuggets for final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is the President of the NBA Coaches Association. Over the past few weeks, NBA coaches have worn bow-ties to honor the passing of their Executive Director Michael Goldberg. Coaches will wear pins to honor Goldberg for the rest of the season. "It will be a remainder of the year-long tribute to a great man. A great advocate for coaches in the NBA," Carlisle said. "A guy who was part a key part of history, like the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. He's done so many important groundbreaking things for coaches of the last 37 years that will be felt for decades."
Blazers: The Blazers are 4-2 since moving Evan Turner and Noah Vonleh into their starting line-up. "The starting line-up has been very effective, especially defensively. That's a nice bi-product of that," head coach Terry Stotts said. Portland's Ed Davis returned to the line-up for the first time since missing six games with a left wrist injury. Davis played 17 minutes.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: At Denver on Monday night.
Trail Blazers: At Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon.