DALLAS — After getting off to a sluggish start before eventually suffering a 102-91 defeat on their home floor the first time they played the Toronto Raptors back on Nov. 3, the Dallas Mavericks know they must come of the gates more aggressively as the scene shifts to Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night.
The Mavericks (15-12) were admittedly poor in the fourth quarter of that November loss against the Eastern Conference powerhouse, allowing the visiting Raptors (17-12) to finish the game a 20-5 run. However, it’s the first quarter that Mavs coach Rick Carlisle points to as the cause of their eventual demise during that early-season matchup after trailing 31-25 following the opening period.