Hardy missed nearly three weeks in December because of a right ankle injury. His newfound consistency since returning resulted in a season-high 25 points

Jaden Hardy is someone who some Dallas Mavericks fans want the team to dangle in trades before the deadline, but he is proving that wouldn't be a wise idea.

This game was originally supposed to be at 8:30 ET/7:30 CT, but due to inclement weather getting ready to hit the Dallas area, the NBA has moved the game up to 7:30 ET/6:30 CT. Temperatures will reach freezing levels throughout the weekend, but the rain and snow expected had the NBA worried about team and fan safety.

Down eight at the end of the third quarter, the Mavericks now have the lead. They have jumped out to a 117-111 lead against the Trail Blazers. The Mavericks have enjoyed the tag-team combination of PJ Washington and Dereck Lively II.

A couple of Western Conference hopefuls right on top of each other in the standings meet up on Tuesday, Jan. 7 when the Dallas Mavericks host the Los Angeles Lakers at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.