Toronto @ Dallas preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 27, 2019 ) Toronto 123, Dallas 120

The Dallas Mavericks slipped at the end of their road trip and suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season. The Mavericks will try to keep it from becoming a three-game slide when they host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

Dallas beat Memphis to begin the three-game trip but slipped at Boston in a 116-106 setback on Monday and was edged out in Kristaps Porzingis' return to Madison Square Garden in a 106-103 loss at the New York Knicks on Thursday. "I don't know if it was fair or not," Porzingis, who was traded from the Knicks to the Mavericks last season, told reporters after getting booed by the New York fans. "I don't really think about that too much. It is what it is, and we came here to win a game. We're frustrated that we didn't get it done." The Raptors are playing the finale of a five-game road trip on Saturday and took three of the first four stops, bouncing back from a 98-88 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday with a 114-106 triumph at Portland on Wednesday. All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry remains out with a broken thumb, but the Raptors are getting solid performances from Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam to help ease the sting.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TSN (Toronto), FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (8-3): VanVleet went off for a season-high 30 points in Wednesday's win and is averaging 22.3 points over the last three contests. "Being a focal point is something I'm getting adjusted to," VanVleet told reporters. "I'm still a relatively young player in this league. There's a learning curve there. Overall I just want to be aggressive and find my opportunities, and my teammates have been doing a good job of putting me in good spots." Siakam is averaging 27.2 points on the season and scored 36 points in Wednesday's win.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (6-5): Porzingis scored 20 points against his former team but the star on Thursday was point guard Luka Doncic, who collected 33 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the loss for his fifth triple-double of the season. The NBA's reigning Rookie of the Year scored at least 30 points in three of the last four games, but Dallas dropped each of those three contests. Donic is not getting much help from backcourt mate Seth Curry, who is 6-of-23 from the field over the last three games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Mavericks PF Dwight Powell is shooting 62 percent from the floor.

2. Raptors SF OG Anunoby (eye) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.

3. Toronto took the last three in the series and seven of eight.

PREDICTION: Raptors 112, Mavericks 108