Raptors caught napping in Dallas
The worst team in the West snaps winning streak
So good for so long, DeMar DeRozan wasn’t so good on Tuesday.
He wasn’t the only reason why the Toronto Raptors lost to the Dallas Mavericks, but when your top offensive player is held under 10 points and makes only three shots, bad things tend to happen.
Kyle Lowry tried to compensate for his backcourt partner’s off night, but the Raptors needed more players to step up. There were too many passengers on this night, too many opportunities gone awry, and the Raptors succumbed 98-93 in a game they did not deserve to win.
The loss ended a six-game Toronto winning streak.
“None of us came out with the right disposition,’’ head coach Dwane Casey said. “Any time you shoot 33 per cent, you’re not going to beat too many teams in the league.
“Defensively, we tried to lock in down the stretch, but the way they started, the game going coast to coast, we were still on Christmas break — all of us, if we’re serious about competing for a championship, I don’t care who we play, we have to come in with the right approach.”
It was a one-possession game with 1:38 remaining, the Raptors getting out in transition when stops were made.
Both teams went small following a Mavs time out. A game-tying three-ball by Serge Ibaka rimmed out for the Raptors, who kept Dallas to one shot on each possession. Ibaka then missed from close range, allowing Dallas to score with 10.2 seconds left.
Even with their woes from the field, the Raptors hung around, trailing by five with 3:30 to go, playing solid defence that led to Dallas turning the ball over on a shot-clock violation.
Tempers then flared when Salah Mejri and Lowry exchanged words and shoves, prompting coaches from both benches to go on the floor and settle matters down.
Officials reviewed the sequence and gave both Mejri and Lowry double technicals.
With Jonas Valanciunas struggling, the Raptors went with Ibaka at centre and Pascal Siakam at power forward. It wasn’t just the lack of offence from Valanciunas, but also his four fouls, despite the eight rebounds he had before he took a seat on the bench.
Veteran J.J. Barea led the Mavs with a 20-point night.
Following three quarters, the Raptors trailed 85-77.
“It happens,’’ Lowry said of Toronto’s off night. “I think we still could have played harder and played more aggressive, but we had a chance.
“They only scored 13 points in the fourth quarter. We still gave ourselves a chance to win the game, so you have to look at some of the positives.”
DeRozan was two of 14 after three quarters, including a onefor-eight run in the third where he didn’t make a single trip to the line.
Lowry was Toronto’s only starter capable of making shots. Take away his four-of-seven shooting and his fellow starters combined to make six of 23 attempts.