DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored a season-high 41 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 1:01 to play, and tied a season best with 14 rebounds as the surging Dallas Mavericks held off the Toronto Raptors 102-98 on Wednesday night.
Kristaps Porzingis had 18 points and seven rebounds to help Dallas win its fourth straight and 10th in 11 games. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 16 off the bench for the Mavericks, who will complete a home back-to-back against NBA-best Phoenix on Thursday.
Pascal Siakam scored 20 points, OG Anunoby had 19 and Fred VanVleet added 18 for the Raptors, who have lost four of five following a six-game winning streak that marked their longest of the season. Toronto had six double-figure scorers while using only seven players.
VanVleet’s 3-pointer gave Toronto a 96-95 lead with 1:55 to go. Doncic put Dallas back ahead with a layup 10 seconds later. After the Mavericks regained possession, Doncic hit a 27-footer behind the arc to beat the shot clock and give the Mavericks a 100-96 lead.
The Raptors were shooting for the lead seconds later at 100-98. Chris Boucher’s 26-footer bounced off the rim, Dorian Finney-Smith grabbed a defensive rebound and Porzingis added two clinching free throws with 5.6 seconds left.
TIP-INS
Raptors: VanVleet went into play leading the NBA with an average of 38 minutes per game. He played 42. … Gary Trent Jr. missed his sixth consecutive game with a swollen ankle.
Mavericks: Doncic’s 22 first-half points matched his most in a half this season. He clinched his eighth straight 20-point game with 4:50 to play in the second period. … Dallas has won six straight home games. … Reserve forward Sterling Brown sat out with a sore foot.
FOREIGN FLAVOR
The teams combined for an NBA season-high 17 international players from 13 countries. Three of the Raptors’ 10 international players are from Canada: Boucher, Khem Birch and Dalano Banton.
UP NEXT
Raptors: End a five-game road trip Wednesday at Washington, which leads Toronto by a half-game for eighth place in the East.
Mavericks: Thursday’s game will be the first of three straight against top teams in the West (followed by No. 3 Memphis at home on Sunday and at No. 2 Golden State on Tuesday).
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The Associated Press