• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Kleiza, Raptors roar past Mavericks

Dec 15, 2012 - 3:27 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Linas Kleiza drained five 3-pointers en route to a game-high 20 points as the shorthanded Toronto Raptors pounded the Dallas Mavericks, 95-74, on Friday at Air Canada Centre.

Kleiza shot 7-of-13 from the floor overall and added five rebounds, while Terrence Ross contributed 18 points for the Raptors, who were without two key contributors in Andrea Bargnani and Kyle Lowry.

Bargnani, the team's second leading scorer, is out indefinitely due to a ligament tear in his right elbow and a strained right wrist, while Lowry has a partial tear in his right triceps muscle.

Jose Calderon and DeMar DeRozan added 14 points apiece as the Raptors snapped a six-game losing streak.

"We out-shot them," DeRozan said. "When you're on your home court you have to take advantage. I wish we played every game like that. We have to do that consistently to be better."

Chris Kaman scored a team-high 15 points, while Brandan Wright went 6-of-6 from the floor for 13 points for Dallas, which has lost two straight since a three-game winning streak. Former Raptor Vince Carter shot just 1-of-8 from the field for four points in the setback.

Dallas also shot 0-for-13 from beyond the arc, ending an NBA record streak of 1,108 consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer made dating back to Feb. 27, 1999.

The Mavs held a slim 25-24 lead after a tightly played opening quarter featured 12 lead changes and three ties.

Darren Collison hit a pair of free throws early in the second quarter to tie the game at 27, but Ross drained a deep 3-ball on the next Raptors' possession to ignite the home team on a 14-4 burst.

Ross scored nine points during the run, which was capped by a corner three from Kleiza that made it a 41-31 game with 5:48 to go before the half.

Carter hit a pair from the line to cut the deficit to eight, but Ed Davis scored a putback off a nice offensive board later in the frame which made it 53-39.

Toronto held a comfortable 54-41 edge at the break.

A three-point play by Mickael Pietrus with 7:14 on the third-quarter clock gave the Raptors a comfortable 66-45 margin, but Toronto then missed its next seven shots from the floor, which allowed the Mavs to rip off an 8-0 run, cutting the deficit to 66-53.

Calderon finally snapped the home squad out of their shooting funk with a three from the top of the arc with 1:47 to play in the frame, and they led 69-55 heading into the final 12 minutes.

Dallas never got close in the final quarter, and a putback slam by Ross late in the frame gave Toronto its largest lead of the night at 29.

"They played great tonight and we played poorly," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "It had a lot to do with us playing poorly. It shows tonight that the problems the Raptors have have nothing to do with coaching. (Raptors coach) Dwane Casey did a great job with a banged up lineup. I have a lot of respect for him. He's a great coach."

Game Notes

The Mavericks had won three straight and 14 of their previous 17 versus the Raptors ... Dallas forward Shawn Marion finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds ... Toronto matched a season-high with 12 3-pointers made ... The game featured 13 lead changes and five ties ... Dallas shot just 39.1 percent from the floor.