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Mavericks-Trail Blazers Preview

Wesley Matthews played so well as an undrafted rookie in 2009-10 that the Portland Trail Blazers plucked the restricted free agent away from Utah with a sizable contract.

When it came time for Matthews to become a free agent again during the offseason, they didn't even bother to pick up the phone. Whatever the potential reasons - Matthews coming off a season-ending injury, LaMarcus Aldridge leaving town, C.J. McCollum ready for an expanded role - Matthews was upset.

The Dallas Mavericks, though, were willing to pay top dollar. Now Matthews prepares to make his first regular-season visit to Portland since leaving, but an illness might keep former teammate Damian Lillard from facing him Tuesday night.

Matthews signed a five-year, $34 million deal that Utah declined to match after a solid rookie season, then averaged 15.4 points in 359 regular-season games and made three playoff appearances with the Blazers.

He tore his left Achilles and missed the last 22 and all of a five-game playoff loss to Memphis last season before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Portland reportedly didn't extend an official offer to Matthews, who then signed a four-year, $70 million contract with the Mavericks.

Matthews said he hoped to return to Portland but "felt disrespected" when general manager Neil Olshey didn't even contact Matthews when free agency began. Olshey said later that the only way they would have pursued re-signing Matthews was if Aldridge returned rather than bolt for San Antonio.

That decision seems to be wise so far. Matthews has gotten off to a rough start with Dallas (10-8), averaging 11.1 points while shooting 34.7 percent in 16 games.

He's totaled 17 points while hitting just 3 of 15 from 3-point range over his last two and went 4 for 11 from the field in Monday's 112-98 loss to Sacramento.

This contest ends a stretch featuring five of six games on the road for the Mavericks, who have dropped four of the first five.

"We knew it was going to be a process," said Chandler Parsons, who had a team-high 14 points. "Every time you have this many guys that are new and haven't played together, it's going to take some time."

Portland (7-11) is in a bit of a rebuilding mode after losing Aldridge and Matthews and trading away another former mainstay in Nicolas Batum. It devoted its attention to building around Lillard, who inked a five-year, $120 million extension in July.

McCollum stepped into Matthews' starting role and has averaged 19.9 points, far better than the 6.8 he averaged in 2014-15. He scored 28 in Saturday's win over the Los Angeles Lakers to help the Blazers win for the third time in four games, but he was held to 4 of 15 from the field and a season-low 12 points in Monday's 102-87 loss to the Clippers.

Lillard had seven points in 17 minutes before leaving for good early in the third with an upset stomach.

"Obviously Damian's the center of our offense, gets everybody going," McCollum said. "Without him on the floor it's tough, but we had to adjust and make plays without him. Hopefully he'll be back soon. I could tell he was sick."

Lillard has never missed a game in three-plus seasons but is uncertain to play in this contest.

"If I'm good enough to play, I'll play," Lillard said. "I can't go out there the way I was (Monday)."

Dirk Nowitzki scored 16 points to help the Mavericks beat the Matthews-less Blazers 114-98 in the last meeting April 15.

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