(Sports Network) - Dallas shoots for its 10th consecutive home win over the Toronto Raptors when the two teams hookup at American Airlines Center on Saturday night.
The Mavericks are coming off a tough overtime loss in the Big Easy on Wednesday when Chris Paul poured in a game-high 39 points, dished out seven assists and grabbed five rebounds, as the New Orleans Hornets edged Dallas, 114-107.
Jason Terry paced the Mavs with 35 points off the bench, and Erick Dampier tallied 16 points and 14 boards for Dallas, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Dirk Nowitzki had 12 points and five rebounds before fouling out.
"The opportunities were there. We didn't play a particularly pretty game, but we really battled, and did what we had to do to put us in a position to win," Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said. "But, NBA basketball is 48 minutes; on consecutive nights, strange things can happen if you don't make plays. Dirk fouling out was a very difficult break for us,"
The Raptors, meanwhile, won their second straight game in New Orleans on Friday.
Chris Bosh, who went to Lincoln High School in Dallas and has never won an NBA game in his hometown, poured in a game-high 27 points in that one as Toronto handed the Hornets a 107-90 drubbing
Jose Calderon notched 16 points and eight assists, while Hedo Turkoglu chipped in 16 points as well for Toronto, which had split its first four games of the season. Andrea Bargnani added 14 points and nine rebounds, and Jarrett Jack and Marco Belinelli each donated nine points off the bench for the victors.
Toronto made a staggering 14-of-29 from behind the arc in the win.
"We just made shots," Calderon said. "Some days you make them and other days the ball just doesn't want to go in.