TORONTO – What the Mavs are currently facing on the court is precisely what they aspire to replicate as they enter this season’s playoffs. A streak of victories. Following Thursday’s remarkable 137-101 triumph over the Washington Wizards, the Mavs have secured six consecutive wins and boast an impressive 10-1 record across their last 11 contests. […]
TORONTO – What the Mavs are currently facing on the court is precisely what they aspire to replicate as they enter this season’s 
playoffs.
A streak of victories.
Following Thursday’s remarkable 137-101 triumph over the Washington Wizards, the Mavs have secured six consecutive wins and boast an impressive 10-1 record across their last 11 contests. The only other team with a 10-1 tally in that span is the Boston Celtics – the very team the Mavs faced and lost to in last season’s NBA Finals.
Does this imply that the Mavs and Celtics are poised to clash once more in this season’s NBA Finals? Only time – along with health and fortune – will reveal the answer.
For now, however, the Mavs are thriving, heading into Saturday’s matchup at Scotiabank Arena against the Toronto Raptors with a 15-8 record. Had it not been for a narrow 123-118 overtime defeat in Miami on November 24 – after Jimmy Butler tied the game with a dunk with just 4.3 seconds left – the Mavs would be enjoying an 11-game winning streak.
The players on the Mavs seem to be embracing their roles, with chemistry soaring and the team spirit arguably among the best in the league.
“It’s beneficial for us since we are continuing to grow,” center Daniel Gafford remarked. “The chemistry is improving, and guys are just starting to feel more at ease, I’d say.
“We’re not second-guessing. We’re out there enjoying ourselves and playing the game.”
The Mavs’ current journey echoes a transformative 13-game phase late last season during which they achieved a 12-1 record from March 17 to April 10. This run saw the Mavs entering the playoffs on a positive note and helped catapult them to the NBA Finals.
Meanwhile, Gafford emphasized that the Mavs must treat each game with the same seriousness, regardless of the opponent’s win-loss record. For instance, when the Mavs took on Washington, the Wizards were on a grim 15-game losing streak and held the NBA’s worst record at 2-17.
Gafford noted that coach Jason Kidd reminded the team that the Raptors “are also NBA players. They are all professionals and won’t quit until the final buzzer, so we won’t take them lightly at all.”
The Mavs aim to carry that same mindset into Saturday’s match against the 7-16 Raptors.
Here are some additional insights ahead of the Mavs versus Raptors game.
*For the Mavs, this marks the conclusion of a brief two-game road trip that began with Thursday’s 137-101 victory over the Washington Wizards. Following Saturday’s game, the Mavs will face the Thunder in the 2024 Cup Nights quarterfinals in Oklahoma City on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. The victor will proceed to Las Vegas for a 
semifinals game on Dec. 14.
*This is the fourth game in a five-game home stretch for the Raptors, who hold a 2-1 record in this homestand. After the Mavs, Toronto will host the New York Knicks on Monday before embarking on a one-game road trip to Miami on Thursday.
*Mavs point guard Luka Dončić achieved his first triple-double of the season during Thursday’s 137-101 victory over the Washington Wizards, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Dončić is now tied with Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden for seventh place on the NBA’s all-time triple-double list with 78, while Jason Kidd is next on the list with 107 triple-doubles.
*The Raptors are 3-2 in their last five games but suffered a heavy 129-92 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. Prior to that, they secured wins against Indiana (122-111) and Miami (119-116). Scottie Barnes had a standout performance with 35 points, six rebounds, and nine assists against Indiana, while RJ Barrett contributed 37 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the victory over Miami.
*In their win against Washington, the Mavs had eight players score at least 10 points, just one short of the franchise record of nine. They have seen six or more players reach double-figures in scoring in nine of their last ten matchups, boasting a 10-1 record this season when at least six players score in double digits.
*RJ Barrett (23.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 6.0 apg), Scottie Barnes (21.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 7.3 apg), Gradey Dick (17.9 ppg), and Jakob Poeltl (16 ppg, 11.8 rpg) are the leading scorers for the Raptors, who have a 3-8 record against the Western Conference this season.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (15-8) at TORONTO RAPTORS (7-16)
When: 6:30 p.m., Saturday
Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
TV: KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream
Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
X: @DwainPrice
