Mavs Game Preview: Game 24 @ Raptors

Eyes on the Cup quarterfinals, but business in Canada comes first

Photo by Richard Lautens / Getty Images

The Mavericks head into Toronto riding a six-game winning streak, looking to keep the momentum going against another Eastern Conference bottom-dweller. The Raptors may not be as bad as the Wizards, but they still rank in the bottom ten in point differential, offense, and defense—categories where Dallas comfortably sits in the top ten. Toronto’s struggles against quality opponents are evident in their 2-12 record against teams above .500, while Dallas boasts an 8-2 record against teams below that mark.

However, caution is warranted. The Raptors are a different team at home, where they hold a 6-5 record compared to a dismal 1-11 on the road. They’re also 5-5 in their last ten games, with recent performances that include a blowout loss to OKC but solid wins against Indiana and Miami—two teams that have already beaten Dallas this season.

Having watched large portions of those three games, it’s clear the Mavericks are the more talented team, with significantly better playmaking, shot-making, and shooting. Still, the Raptors bring hustle and grit, and Dallas will need to play with proper focus and energy from the start to avoid this turning into a tricky game in front of an engaged Toronto crowd.

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Mavs (15-8) @ Raptors (7-16)

Rest: DAL on 1 day of rest; TOR on 1 days of rest

DAL 2024-25 away record: 7-5

TOR 2024-25 home record: 6-5

DAL injuries: Exum (OUT), Naji Marshall (OUT), Jaden Hardy (doubtful)

TOR injuries: Immanuel Quickley (OUT), Bruce Brown (OUT), Jakop Poeltl (questionable), Kelly Olynyk (questionable), Davion Mitchell (questionable)

TOR projected starting 5: Gradey Dick (G), Ochai Agbaji (G), RJ Barrett (F), Scottie Barnes (F), Jakob Poeltl (questionable/illness) or Bruno Fernando (C)

TOR key reserves: Chris Boucher, Jonathan Mogbo, Ja’Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead

TOR Rotation:

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Three key questions heading into the game

1. Can Dallas keep the high-energy Raptors off the offensive glass?

2. Can the Mavs defense, built to stop teams like the Raptors, make another statement?

3. Will Dallas’ hot shooting from three continue?

Mavs on offense | Raptors on defense

With the absence of Immanuel Quickley and Bruce Brown, Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković has leaned heavily on a six-man rotation of RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, and Davion Mitchell. All six are averaging 30+ minutes per game, while no one else on the roster is averaging more than 20 minutes. In theory, the Raptors have a solid defensive base with Barnes and Barrett on the wings, two aggressive, defense-minded guards in Agbaji and Mitchell, and Poeltl anchoring the middle. Dick stands out as the lone clear and obvious target the Mavericks will likely attack in guard-guard switches.

The Raptors primarily deploy their bigs in drop coverage, and if Poeltl is unavailable, they rely on a pair of inexperienced and overzealous backup bigs in Bruno Fernando and rookie Jonathan Mogbo. All of their bigs foul at a very high rate, as does Mitchell as an on-ball defender. The same goes for all of their rookies (Mogbo, Battle, Shead), who are key parts of the Raptors' bench rotation. Toronto’s high foul rate, leading to the highest opponent free-throw rate in the NBA, is the primary reason the Raptors rank just 21st on defense. Dallas isn’t a team that gets to the line often, but Dončić demonstrated against Memphis that he can exploit an inexperienced and overly aggressive defense, earning 16 free-throw attempts. He’ll need to be both patient and aggressive tonight to do the same.

Another Raptors weakness, especially without Poeltl, is defensive rebounding (despite being a great offensive rebounding team). They rank 3rd worst in the NBA in opponent putbacks and 24th in opponent second-chance points. The Mavericks have shown they can capitalize on the offensive glass against smaller teams, making this a potential area to exploit.

Raptors on offense | Mavs on defense