This is one of the few occasions where back to back games are a good thing. The quicker the Trail Blazers can move on from last night’s bizarre loss, the better. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this is a winnable game. It has to be, right?
Bottom of the pile
The Mavs are tied (with Philadelphia) for the league’s worst record. Their fall from grace has been dramatic, having finished last season claiming the Western Conference’s sixth-seed. Whilst their year is (pragmatically at least) already over, they are showing signs of life.