Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry led a major second-quarter surge that saw the Mavericks obliterate a 31-19 deficit to lead 52-43 at the half. For those keeping score at home, that's a 33-12 run.

Nowitzki leads all scorers with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, scoring from all points on the floor, out of halfcourt sets and in transition. Terry has 10 and canned a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. Shawn Marion has scored eight and Peja Stojakovic has six. No Mavs player has more than one foul.

Gerald Wallace leads the Blazers with 13 points, all in the first quarter. He left the game with lower back tightness and his return for the second half has not been determined. LaMarcus Aldridge has 12 points.

The Blazers damaged their own cause with bonehead plays by Rudy Fernandez, who fouled Peja Stojakovic behind the arc, and D-League call-up Chris Johnson, who was called for a flagrant on Nowitzki after a rebound under the Blazers' basket. The result was seven quick points. Sandwiched in between was an and-1 by Nowitzki.

Less than four minutes after Portland took the 31-19 lead and had the Rose Garden rocking, the Mavs had tied the game at 35-35 on a J.J. Barea drive.