PORTLAND, Ore. – Gerald Wallace scored 19 points and the Portland Trail Blazers took advantage of the road-weary Dallas Mavericks for a 104-96 victory on Sunday night.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 points for the Blazers, who have won eight straight at home.
Overall, Portland has won seven of its last 10 as it jockeys for playoff position in the Western Conference. The Blazers were sitting in the sixth spot, a game in front of Memphis and New Orleans with five games to go.
Shawn Marion had 19 points for Dallas, which has lost three straight. The Mavericks looked sluggish for good reason: It was their fourth game in five nights and the final stop on a six-game trip.
The Mavericks were without center Tyson Chandler because of a sore lower back. It was just the seventh game the 7-foot-1 veteran has missed this season. Brendan Haywood started in his place. Chandler is averaging 10.2 points and 9.3 rebounds this season for Dallas, which has already clinched a playoff spot.
The Blazers could have clinched with a victory over the Mavs, but they were thwarted when Houston beat Atlanta 112-109 earlier in the night.
The Mavericks were coming off a 99-92 loss to Golden State on Saturday
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