Kelly Olynyk scored 13 points in 14 minutes in his long-awaited season debut
Not as undermanned as they’ve been on far too many nights this season and not as vulnerable against a high-end opponent, the Raptors gave it their best shot against the visiting Dallas Mavericks knowing Toronto’s best wouldn’t be good enough.
The Mavs reside in the NBA’s high-rent district, a championship-contending team featuring a handful of household names.
On a night normally reserved for hockey, hoops took centre stage at Scotiabank Arena where fans were entertained and enthralled.
The fact the Raptors would lose, 125-118, didn’t seem to damper the experience, even if it was the Doncic experience as he recorded his second triple-double in as many games.
When Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in town Thursday night along with his Oklahoma City Thunder, there was a sense of occasion.
The problem was the Raptors were missing an indispensable piece in big man Jakob Poeltl and the disparity became painfully obvious for all to see in an OKC romp.
Poeltl was back Saturday on a night when Canadian Kelly Olynyk (back) made his season debut.
Toronto went with a starting group consisting of Poeltl, Scottie Barnes, Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett and Ochai Agbaji that was as complete minus the still-injured Immanuel Quickley (wrist) at point guard.
Dallas went with a unit consisting of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington and Dereck Lively II, the kind of lineup most teams would envy.
Against OKC, the game’s outcome was pretty much determined in the opening two minutes.
Against Dallas, the Raptors were much more competitive, though there was a huge disparity when it came to shot making and shot creation.
In Doncic and Irving, Dallas has two elite guards who can get off virtually any shot they want, even when facing stifling defences.
All teams can do is contest and then hope shots don’t drop.
Every once in a while, one will have an off night.
Rarely will both struggle from the field on the same night.
When Doncic’s 35-foot runner that banked in to beat the half-time buzzer, fans went into a tizzy.
No one seemed to mind the 70-54 hole facing the Raptors when everyone in attendance was star-gazing.
The Doncic-Irving combo combined for 33 points in the opening 24 minutes, a stretch that saw Dallas attempt 20 free throws, while Toronto had six, including four by Dick.
The Mavs also had a plus-13 edge on the boards.
No one should be surprised at the way Dallas played.
The surprise was how the Raptors played in the second half in pushing the Mavs to the limit.
Whether it was the Mavs or the Thunder, the Raptors are nowhere near as good.
Darko Rajakovic is doing his best to keep his team engaged, which is why the head coach called a timeout 90 seconds into the second half when no player bothered to get back on defence.
He would later earn a technical foul.
At least Dick played with bounce in his second game back from an injured calf muscle, fearless in attacking the basket and confident when heaving shots.
This turned into the Luka show much like Thursday turned into the Shai show.
The two MVP candidates play such a different game, but both are so good and worth the price of admission.
Saturday night, to be truthful, turned into a two-man show with Irving sharing the stage with Doncic.
The dynamic duo was responsible for 51 of the Mavs’ 100 points when Dallas led by 24 late in the third quarter.
Toronto ended the quarter on a 9-0 run.
The Raptors continued to compete in the fourth and forced Dallas to be at its best.
A Ja’Kobe Walter jumper off a Poeltl screen made it a two-possession game with 4:37 remaining when the intensity grew and the entertainment value increased until it would be decided in the final minute.
With Olynyk back in Toronto’s rotation, Chris Boucher became the odd-man out.
Dick’s 27 points paced the Raptors.
MAVS AND HAVE-NOTS
Dallas, which advanced all the way to last spring’s NBA final, came into Toronto on a tear having won four straight on the road and six of its past seven away contests.
It’s a Mavs team, barring injury, that will once again contend in the highly-competitive West.
A championship rematch with Boston, in fact, isn’t so unthinkable.
For now, the Mavs are adopting to life with Thompson, whose ability to spot up and drain shots is ideally suited playing with the likes of Doncic and Irving, two elite guards who always demand extra attention from opposing defences.
The Mavs last played Thursday when they routed the lowly Wizards in Washington, 137-101.
Doncic is more than capable of recording triple-doubles each time he steps on the floor.
His first of the season came in Washington when he scored 21 points, dished off 10 assists and hauled down 10 rebounds.
For Doncic, it was has 78th-career triple-double as he moved into an exclusive club in tying with Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden for the seventh-most in NBA history.
Add in Saturday’s triple-double against the Raptors and Doncic broke the tie with the Big Dipper and the big ball stopper.
Dallas will play OKC Tuesday night in an NBA Cup quarterfinal.
Last spring, the top-seeded Thunder played the fifth-seeded Mavs in the Western semifinals won by Dallas in six games.
As for Saturday night’s visit to Toronto, the first and only appearance by Dallas, fans certainly paid attention to the pre-game introduction.
When Thompson was introduced, fans cheered the former Golden State Warrior and one-half of the Splash Brothers.
When Doncic was introduced, fans greeted the star as though he were playing for the Raptors.
Then came Irving, who was equally cheered.
All three players scored at least 20 points.
Toronto, make no mistake, appreciates stars.
The night began with Barnes matched up against Doncic.
The game’s first basket was produced by Doncic on a bank shot.
After Dallas kept a possession alive, Doncic drilled a step-back three-pointer that had the crowd in awe.
Every Irving drive to the hole and each time he heaved a deep three-ball that found net were met with amazement as the crowd was left speechless.