The Blazers have won two of their last three including a 119-100 win last night in New Orleans against the Pelicans. Deni Avdija led Portland with 26 points. The Mavericks smacked the Lakers 118-97 in Dallas Tuesday night. No Luka. No Kyrie. No Problem. Quentin Grimes has 23 off the bench for the Mavs.

Updated: The game has been moved to 4:30 p.m. Robert Williams III (rest) and Jerami Grant (face contusion) are out. • • • The Portland Trail Blazers could very well end their five-game road trip with a winning record.

Having just played yesterday, the Portland Trail Blazers will head out on the road to face off against the Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday at American Airlines Center. The two teams worked hard to overcome the odds in their previous battles and are surely both feeling confident heading into this clash.

1. Houston and Memphis renew rivalry. These teams have 24 wins apiece, tied for the second-best record in the Western Conference. There’s also been animosity between these teams in the past, and it could get even better with Ja Morant (shoulder) possibly returning.

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers game were available on Ticketmaster for as little as $15 on Thursday morning.

The Portland Trail Blazers head to the American Airlines Center to face the Dallas Mavericks in a Western Conference matchup. The Blazers are 13-23, which puts them in 13th place. The Mavs are 21-16, which puts them in fifth place.

The Trail Blazers sport the fifth-worst defensive rating in the NBA, and the matchup will be particularly favorable for Grimes. Portland has allowed opposing SGs to average 35.8 PRAs this season.

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It’s likely the Blazers will look to subtract from their roster by the trade deadline rather than add pieces that will impact winning in the short term.

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One thing to look for is for the potential return of Paolo Banchero from the oblique injury that has kept him out since Oct. 30. Banchero is officially listed as questionable and is expected to return either tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves or Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks