The shorthanded Dallas Mavericks have managed to get a second consecutive win. Despite missing Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, the Mavs snagged a 117-111 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday. The win wasn’t just about one player – the whole roster contributed, making it a genuine team effort; except for one player. Klay Thompson had a bad at the office today.

Thompson didn’t show up as fans hoped for. The future Hall of Famer finished with just three points, hitting only 1 of 6 shots and going 0 for 4 from three. To make matters worse, he barely played, logging under 22 minutes. That’s a far cry from the dominance we expect from someone with his track record. That sweet stroke can’t come much faster for the Mavericks.

After the win, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd shared his thoughts on Thompson’s quiet performance when speaking to the media. The 51-year-old coach said, “Yeah. He’s fine, you know, just understanding um, we’re a team, his teammates picked him up tonight and he’ll be ready to go on Sunday.”. While Thompson had an off game, his teammates stepped up to fill the gap.

I’m sure Coach Kidd will want him to step up next time. A bad day is okay, but if it happens regularly, it’s a dilemma. Thompson really struggled on both ends of the court during the game, especially with his perimeter defense in the first half. It felt like he just couldn’t find his rhythm, missing all four of his attempts from beyond the arc. Remind you, this person set a record of 14 threes in a game.

And honestly, it wasn’t just his shooting that was off. His mistakes piled up—like early in the fourth quarter when he was caught in two minds, deciding between a contested three and a head fake, and fumbled the ball out of bounds for a turnover. While the 4x champion couldn’t contribute, others did.

Who stepped up since Klay Thompson didn’t for the Mavs?

PJ Washington got off to a rough start, missing his first four shots as the Mavs went 1-for-13 from the field. But he didn’t back down, bouncing back in the second with seven points and four rebounds. However, a late turnover led to a wide-open 3-pointer by Toumani Camara, pushing Portland’s lead to 109-99 with just over four minutes left.

Washington wasn’t done, though. He hit two clutch free throws to tie it up at 109 and then drained a massive corner 3-pointer to give Dallas the lead with just under two minutes left. That shot erased any earlier mistakes.

Jaden Hardy’s confidence was on full display, even if it led to some turnovers. He finished with a season-high 25 points, showing flashes of brilliance. In the second quarter, after two Mavs offensive rebounds, Hardy stepped up with a big 3-pointer to pull Dallas within two, forcing the Trail Blazers to call a timeout. His heat-check 3 to tie the game at 35-35 gave him 13 points in the first half. He cooled off in the second, but overall, it was a solid performance.

Derek Lively II had his ups and downs, missing some easy dunks but still contributing with a double-double and three blocks. In the fourth, he found his rhythm, scoring 13 points and grabbing six rebounds, making key plays to help the Mavs seize momentum and ultimately win the game. The Mavs needed that energy, and Lively delivered when it counted most.