PORTLAND, Ore. - First, the Trail Blazers held LeBron James to just 11 points. Two nights later they held Dirk Nowitzki to 17.And just like that, Portland is pointing to an improved defence for two key wins.The latest was on Thursday night when Portland overwhelmed the Dallas Mavericks with a 35-18 third quarter en route to a 108-87 victory. LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points before sitting down for the entire fourth.Damian Lillard finished with 18 points, including 10 over a stretch of just under six minutes in the fourth before he also took a seat.Portland trailed 50-46 at the half before a decisive 18-4 run in the third quarter.I think the best part about it was that we won on both ends of the floor, Lillard said. We defended really well in the first half, we just couldnt really get ourselves going like we would have liked to offensively. The second half, we put both ends together and thats why we were able to pull away.Dallas went into the game averaging nearly 112 points in their first four games of the season. Nowitzki was averaging nearly 21.But Nowitzki said it was the Mavericks defence that failed them against the Blazers.We couldnt get the stops we needed as the game turned into a walk-up-the-court game and thats not us, he said. Weve got to get stops to get the ball moving.The game was delayed several minutes midway through the fourth quarter when a fan collapsed. The woman was rushed across the court by stretcher as a paramedic performed CPR. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, but there was no immediate information about her condition.Nicolas Batum had eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but he too rested in the fourth quarter after the Blazers had built a sizable lead. Batum has four career triple-doubles.The Trail Blazers were coming off a confidence-boosting 101-82 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers that snapped a brief two-game losing streak. Lillard broke out of a season-opening funk with 27 points, and Portland held James to just 11 points, his lowest total in 115 games.Asked if he thought the teams defence was better this season, Blazers guard Welsey Matthews said: I think it is. And I think it has to be.The Mavericks lost their season opener at San Antonio but went on to win their next three, including a 118-113 victory over Boston on Monday.Weve been doing a lot of good things but our defence has been inconsistent, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. We have to make a stand there. I have to look closely at what were doing and make sure were doing the right things and have the right guys in at the right times. We dont have a lot of time to sit around and mope.It is the first of back-to-back road games for the Mavericks, who visit the Utah Jazz on Friday night.The Mavericks double-teamed Aldridge from the start, but he led all scorers with 10 points in the first quarter.The Blazers pulled ahead 28-24 with 10:10 left in the first half on consecutive 3-pointers from CJ McCollum off the bench. Monta Ellis layup gave Dallas a 35-33 lead.Nowitzki hit a 19-foot-jumper from out front, then added a 3-pointer over Aldridge, and the Mavericks took a 45-38 lead. Nowitzki had 12 points in the second quarter and Dallas was up 50-46 at the half.Robin Lopezs dunk pulled the Blazers within 52-51, and they took the lead on Aldridges fadeaway jumper. Wesley Matthews pumped both fists and yelled after his 3-pointer made it 71-59.But Chandler Parsons, who had scored just two points in the first half, hit consecutive baskets and narrowed it to 71-66.Chris Kamans put-back layup gave the Blazers an 88-70 lead in the fourth quarter as the rout was on. Kaman scored 12 off the bench.___TIP-INSMavericks: Owner Mark Cuban is interviewed in the latest edition of Rolling Stone and reveals his greatest mistake was letting Steve Nash go. He also says that losing hurts far more than winning feels good. ... Nowitzki scored 12 points in the second quarter alone, but the Blazers held him to just two points in the second half. ... Parsons had scored 20 or more points in the past three games; the Blazers held him to 11.Trail Blazers: F Joel Freeland was available after missing the past two games with a left foot sprain. ... Portland had lost seven of the last 10 to Dallas going into the game.THIRD QUARTER WOESNowitzki says hes not sure why the Mavericks have been having trouble coming out after the half. We better figure it out pretty quick. Seems like we dont come out with any energy. Thats really unfortunate, we have got to correct that. Teams are coming out in the second half determined to pick up the pressure and we have not responded.BENCH SCORINGPortlands bench outscored the Mavericks 52-35. The reserves made seven of 12 3-point attempts and shot just over 57 per cent from the field. Thats what we need them to do. You never know when youre going to be called, but you have to be ready. And they were ready, Matthews said.UP NEXTMavericks: At Utah on Friday night.Trail Blazers: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. Stitched Penguins Jerseys . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Cheap Penguins Jerseys . - Maynor Figueroa headed in a late goal to give Honduras a 1-1 draw with the United States in an international friendly Tuesday. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/.twitter.com/xBTpoAKLJk — Daryl Zerr (@darylzerr) May 29, 2014 @BarDown I give to you the @SquirrelsNCHL aka the Fighting Squirels. Penguins Jerseys 2019 . David Perron had a career high four-point night with two goals and two assists as the Oilers experienced an offensive explosion, blasting the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-0 to record a rare home win for their second victory in a row. Penguins Jerseys China . -- Deshorn Brown scored twice, the first coming 13 seconds into the game, and the Colorado Rapids beat the undermanned Seattle Sounders 5-1 Saturday night.Guillem Balague believes lingering muscle problems could partly explain Lionel Messis dip in form for Barcelona. The Argentina international failed to score for the fifth consecutive game as his side crashed out of the Champions League to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.And Balague, who says Messis recent tendency to drop into midfield is limiting his effectiveness, thinks the Barca star is in pain. Lionel Messi was largely on the periphery as Barcelona were knocked out by Atletico Madrid When asked to explain Messis form on Sky Sports News HQ, Balague said: He has not scored in five games, and Barcelona depend on a very good Messi.Theres two ways to explain this. First, you look at him and hes dropping deeper, hes walking instead of running - although he normally does that - and he doesnt look as sharp. Whats up with Barca? Barcelona out: Reliance on Messi, Neymar and Suarez proves costly When he doesnt feel sharp he doesnt get in the box. As a midfielder, hes good but hes not that great.But you can also explain it in a different way. Minutes after the Atletico Madrid game finished a story came out that he has been struggling with muscle problems. Not an injury as such, but about three weeks ago he went to Venice to see a nutritionist and he was asking him, Why is it I dont feel well at the moment?It could be the training and hes in pain certainly, and all those things have made him perform at a lesser level.Some will say its just excuses, but look back at his last five games and you can see it hasnt been the same Messi. Ive checked with the family and the muscle issues are one of the problems that is worrying him. Antoine Griezmann scored once in each half to send Atletico Madrid into the Champions League semi-finals Barca have lost three of their last four matches in all competitions, but sit three points clear of Atletico in La Liga and remain on course for a league and cup double.And Balague believes La Liga and Copa Del Rey titles will still represent a strong season, even if they failed in their pursuit of back-to-back trebles. This is what were used to seeing from Lionel Messi.dddddddddddd They can still win the league and the cup, but nobody is talking about that because it has been a surprising demise in the last month, he added.Winning after winning is so difficult and to keep at that level for so long is almost impossible.Imagine if they do win the league, it means they will have had a good season, but if they also beat Sevilla in the cup, its a very good season. But at this point the Champions League blurs everything else and it looks like something is missing. Luis Enrique took full responsibility for Barcelonas Champions League defeat The main culprit according to the media in Catalonia is Luis Enrique, who hasnt done some of the things that made Barcelona good last season.Enrique has to be the coach and say Neymar you havent scored since mid-March and Messi perhaps you should rest too.But now there are seven games left and its difficult to tell them that because everyone wants to play as soon as possible and bounce back from what has been a hurtful defeat. Win a t-lab Peloton t-shirt We have teamed up with original British mens t-shirt label t-lab in our new giveaway Also See: Whats up with Barca? Griezmann knocks Barca out How Spain reacted to Barca loss Enrique: Im to blame for exit ' ' '