Luka Dončić had 26 points (15 at the free-throw line) and 15 rebounds, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the defending champion Toronto Raptors 110-102.
Delon Wright’s fadeaway put the Mavericks ahead for good with 4.8 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Raptors got within 102-100 on Norman Powell’s reverse layup with 2:08 to play, but Dončić answered with a floater, and the Raptors got no closer.
During clutch time, the Mavericks outscored the Raptors 4-2. In the fourth quarter, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 2 steals, and the Raptors scored 2 points off them.
Kristaps Porziņģis had 20 points (10 in the paint) and 15 rebounds, and Wright added 15 points and 3 steals on 6 for 8 shooting off the bench.
For the Raptors, Norman Powell scored 26 points on 9 for 15 shooting, and Fred VanVleet added 24 points and 7 assists. Norman Powell scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks went 27 for 33 at the line to the Raptors’ 11 for 15. The Raptors outscored the Mavericks 19-7 on the fast break. The Raptors’ starters were outscored 43-27 in 17 minutes together.