Raptors fall to Mavericks 124-102 to start their Texas road trip

Scottie and Ochai carried the glut of the Raptors’ scoring on a tough night in Dallas

In their second-to-last game of the season, the Toronto Raptors visited the Dallas Mavericks for their first matchup since the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic packing in exchange for Anthony Davis. With the playoff picture in the West heating up, Dallas saw this as a must-win game, playing with rhythm and aggression from outset. Toronto wasn’t able to match it, and fell to the Mavericks 124-102.

Despite the loss, Toronto had strong performances from Ochai and Scottie, who managed to carry much of the offence throughout the game. Ochai finished with 24 points and 6 rebounds, going an astonishing 6/7 from long range and 9/12 from the field overall. Scottie started slow, but didn’t let that dictate his performance, ending with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists to go along with a steal and a block.

For Dallas, Anthony Davis was a major contributor, easily racking up a triple double of 23-13-10 with 7 blocks in only 30 minutes. Gafford, Christie, Washington, and Lively II all contributed double-digit scoring performances as well, helping round-out the Mavericks’ offence. Dallas is locked into a play-in spot, competing with Sacramento for the opportunity to progress in the postseason and will likely try to carry this momentum to the next stage.

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The first quarter started slowly, with both teams having trouble finding their shot. Dallas managed to score in the first two minutes, but it took Toronto almost twice as long to find the bottom of the basket. A few costly turnovers gave the Mavericks the opportunity to build an early lead, but it evaporated quickly as Ochai managed to go 4-for-4 from long range, scoring the Raps’ first 12 points. He continued to carry that momentum to finish the quarter with 17, but lacked support, as the rest of the team continued to struggle shooting. The next highest scorer was a four-way tie of only 2 points for each of Shead, Mogbo, Scottie, and AJ. Dallas was able to put together more of a team-effort, allowing them to close the quarter with a 10-point lead.

In the second, Scottie tried to assert himself early. He was able to layup his first attempt, but the swarming defence of Dallas caused him to miss his next three shots and turn the ball over. It felt like a tone-setting chronology of plays, as the Raptors began to leak oil and start a series of scoring droughts that spanned much of the quarter. Dallas built an insurmountable lead, dominating on both ends of the court. Toronto fought back a little at the end with Scottie’s return to the floor, but only managed 13 points in the frame, entering the locker room with a 38-66 deficit.

Dallas showed no signs of slowing in the third, with Davis continuing to lead on both ends of the floor. Toronto’s struggle on the boards escalated, allowing the Mavericks extra possessions that they capitalized on. Scottie and Ochai continued to chip away, both staying engaged and managing to carry the majority of the Raptors’ scoring load. A.J. Lawson also found another gear, but Dallas outscored them for the third straight quarter.

Scottie continued to will the Raptors back into the game early in the fourth, chipping away at the Mavericks’ lead. Despite tightening up their defence as well, there was no way back into this game. Toronto managed to claw back somewhat, outscoring the Mavericks by 7 in the frame. Temple, Battle, and Lawson all managed to find their way into double figures by their effort in the closing minutes of the game.

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Although it was a tough game, most of their difficulty can be attributed to a tough start. Now, with their draft odds locked in, they can travel to San Antonio to try and finish the season on a high note. The Raptors will face the Spurs for their final game of the season at 3:30 pm ET on Sunday.