The Toronto Raptors snapped a recent skid Sunday with a convincing 122–92 victory over the struggling Dallas Mavericks.
RJ Barrett led the way with a season-high 31 points, while Scottie Barnes added 17 points as Toronto ended a four-game losing streak against Dallas and picked up its first win in five home games. Jakob Poeltl contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Sandro Mamukelashvili chipped in 13 points in the balanced win.
Barrett also reached a milestone, surpassing 8,000 career points to become the eighth Canadian player in NBA history to reach the mark. At 25, he is the youngest among the group, which includes current standouts Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks, along with Hall of Famer and two-time MVP Steve Nash.
Toronto controlled the game by forcing mistakes and pushing the pace. The Raptors turned 20 Dallas turnovers into 27 points and dominated in transition with a 21–4 advantage in fast-break scoring.
Dallas struggled throughout, dropping its seventh straight game and 17th in its last 19, while falling to 7–24 on the road. Daniel Gafford led the Mavericks with a season-high 21 points and 11 rebounds, shooting a perfect 10-for-10 from the field and making his lone free throw.
No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg scored 17 points with eight rebounds and six assists in his third game back from a sprained left foot after missing eight games. Flagg also picked up the first technical foul of his career early in the fourth quarter after arguing a non-call on a drive to the basket. Brandon Williams added 16 points for Dallas.
Toronto received additional scoring from Brandon Ingram and Ja’Kobe Walter, who each had 11 points, while Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick finished with 10 points apiece.
Neither team shot well from long range. The Raptors went 10 for 36 from three-point range, while Dallas struggled even more, finishing 5 for 30. The Mavericks did hold a 27–12 edge in second-chance points, but it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome Toronto’s transition scoring and defensive pressure.
Up next: Dallas continues its road trip Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks, while Toronto heads to Texas to face the Houston Rockets.
