NBA: RJ Barrett, Raptors cruise past skidding Mavericks

RJ Barrett scored a season-high 31 points Sunday night, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 122-92 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks.

Scottie Barnes added 17 points for Toronto, which had dropped its previous two games. Jakob Poeltl contributed a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Brandon Ingram and Ja'Kobe Walter each added 11 points, while Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 13. Immanuel Quickley finished with 10 points and a game-high eight assists, and Gradey Dick also had 10 points.

For Dallas, Daniel Gafford recorded a season-best 21 points on perfect 10-for-10 shooting and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. Rookie Cooper Flagg contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and three blocks. Brandon Williams chipped in 16 points. The Mavericks have now lost seven straight games and 17 of their last 19.

Toronto’s strong defense helped the Raptors take control early. The team entered the fourth quarter with a 22-point lead, their largest at that point. Barrett’s three-pointer extended the advantage to 26 points with 9:31 remaining, and Poeltl’s dunk at the 6-minute mark kept the lead at 26.

The Raptors led 36-29 after the first quarter, which ended with Quickley hitting a 28-foot three-pointer. Toronto extended its lead to 16 with 5:54 left in the second quarter after Barrett scored four consecutive points to cap a 14-2 run. The Raptors held Dallas to just 15 points in the second quarter and took a 57-44 lead into halftime.

Toronto shot 48% (24-for-50) from the field in the first half while limiting Dallas to 40.5% (17-for-42). Turnovers played a key role: the Mavericks committed 11 in the first half, resulting in 13 points for the Raptors, while Toronto had only four turnovers, leading to four points.

Dallas showed more energy in the third quarter, with Gafford’s tip-in cutting the lead to 11, 65-54, with 8:57 remaining. Toronto quickly responded with a 10-0 run, capped by Ingram’s short jumper to push the lead to 21 with 6:28 left in the third. The Mavericks briefly reduced the margin to 16 before Ingram scored four straight points to stretch the lead to 20. Toronto ended the third quarter ahead 88-66.

With this win, the Raptors look to regain momentum and improve their record after recent losses, while Dallas continues to search for answers amid a long skid.

—Field Level Media/Reuters