Random observations from the Mavericks' 84-76 loss to Toronto

In a word, stinko.
 
The Mavericks were within 71-68, but the Raptors got six
points in a row from Leandro Barbosa and eight in a row overall as they pulled
away for a huge upset. The Raptors have been surrendering 105 points per game and
the Mavericks had to hustle just to get over 70.
 
The Raptors had lost 10 in a row in Dallas.
 
Dirk Nowitzki was out with a sprained right knee. But that’s
no excuse against the 11-20 Raptors.
 
Terrible ballhandling was part of the problem with 17
turnovers. But as much as the emotional win at Oklahoma City was a total team
effort on Monday, this was a total team letdown.
 
They started out missing 16 of 20 shots in the first
quarter, fell behind by a dozen points and never fully recovered. The Raptors
allow more than 105 points per game, but the Mavericks never got close to
finding any rhythm.
 
Rookie Ed Davis had played only 13 games all season but he
had his best game as a pro, going off for 17 points and 12 rebounds.
 
They were down by six at halftime and could trim only one
point off that in the third quarter, when Toronto’s Linas Kleiza was
ejected. Kleiza had tormented the Mavericks with his 3-point shooting. Without
him, the Raptors’ offense dried up to a level even below the
Mavericks’.
 
But the Mavericks couldn’t complete a rally. They got
within 71-68 before Leandro Barbosa scored three times to make it a nine-point
lead with four minutes to go.

The Mavericks came into the game 7-2 when trailing after
three quarters. There was no such magic this time.
 
They fell to 24-6.