Mavs at Raptors GAMEDAY: Can Doncic, Dallas Avoid 1st 3-Game Losing Streak?
After failing to rally from a 27-point deficit in their loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks will try to avoid a Thanksgiving hangover against the young and athletic Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. The Mavs haven't lost three consecutive games all season, and they'll have to secure just their second road win in seven tries to make sure that trend continues.
After the loss to Boston, coach Jason Kidd hinted that changes to his starting lineup could be coming this weekend. If those changes are made on Saturday, it would make sense for Christian Wood and Josh Green to take the places of Dwight Powell and Reggie Bullock in the starting five. Among all three-man lineup combinations in the league with at least a 100-minute sample size, the trio of Luka Doncic, Wood and Green sit atop the list with a net rating of 35.3.
The Mavs' offensive rating with that trio on the floor is 129.8, and their defensive rating is 94.5. If Kidd is truly open to making changes, this is the way he should lean. There is no "easy fix" for the Mavs' current issues, but that doesn't mean there aren't still buttons left to be pushed.
Through 17 games, the Mavs only average 12.6 turnovers per game, which is the fewest in the league. However, the last time Dallas faced Toronto, it ended up with 19 turnovers in a game that become much closer down the stretch than it should've been. The Raptors' elite length really bothered the Mavs overall, despite Doncic dissecting a dozen different defensive schemes thrown at him by Toronto coach Nick Nurse. Dallas has shown it can build a big lead vs. the Raptors, but can it keep from turning the ball over that many times again to preserve a big lead this time?
After missing the last four games due to a back strain, the Mavs have listed versatile big man Maxi Kleber as probable to make his return against the Raptors on Saturday.
The Raptors, on the other hand, could be severely shorthanded in this one, as they have Pascal Siakam (abductor strain), Scottie Barnes (knee sprain), Otto Porter Jr. (toe dislocation) and Precious Achiuwa (ankle sprain) listed as being out for Saturday's matchup, per the NBA's official injury report as of 1:30 a.m. CT. Fred VanVleet (non-Covid illness) is listed as questionable.
One would think this would mean the Mavs are catching a break, but given how they've played against shorthanded teams so far this season, that might not be the case. Here's everything else you need to know about the game:
FLASHBACK: The Mavs defeated the Raptors in a tightly-contested matchup on Nov. 4. After leading by as many as 19 points in the third quarter and 15 points entering the fourth quarter, the Mavs were out-scored by the Raptors 29-15 in the final frame despite being able to squeak by with the 111-110 win.
Doncic led the way for Dallas in that one with 35 points on 10-15 shooting from the field, including 3-6 from deep and 12-14 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out six assists and got greedy with three steals and a block as well.
Wood only scored 13 points on 5-8 shooting in the Mavs' first meeting with the Raptors, but he also only played 23 minutes off the bench. Barring foul trouble, we expect that to change this time around.
RECORDS: Dallas Mavericks (9-8), Boston Raptors (9-9)
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022 at 4 p.m. CT
WHERE: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON)
TV: Bally Sports Southwest (BSSW), NBA League Pass
RADIO: 97.1 The Freak, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
ODDS: The Mavs are 2.5-point favorites over the Raptors.
NEXT UP: Dallas will finish up its three-game road trip on Sunday, as they'll take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on a second night of a back-to-back. Then, the Mavs will return home for one game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday before heading out for another two-game road trip.
FINAL WORD: “We got to step up to the plate and look at these games as if we’re going to win ‘em," said Dorian Finney-Smith after Friday's practice. "These are great teams. Toronto is long, can switch everything on defense and you know what you got with Giannis and the Bucks. So it’s going to be a great test, especially right now when we’re trying to figure out what our identity is.”
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