Ailing LeBron playing, Kyrie and Love out vs. Bulls

Vanessa Bryant writes a note to her daughter Gianna, nicknamed Gigi, on what would have been her 15th birthday.

After an entertaining two-game set against a championship contender, the Dallas Mavericks head into another back-to-back challenge when they travel to Portland to face the Trail Blazers twice this weekend. The Mavericks enter off a statement 105-89 home victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, two days after the Clippers stormed into Dallas and earned a 109-99 win. The Trail Blazers, in the meantime, were involved in their own short series, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 125-124 on Tuesday and prevailing 101-93 in the rematch on Thursday.