The Raptors play their first full 48 minute game in quite a while

The Mavs were without the Big Dirk who got injuried in their road victory last night aganist the thunder while the Raptors have Bargnani back in T.O., Sonny Weems not playing, and Jose Calderon also not in the game tonight while Amir Johnson played with a bad back.

First Quarter

Like most other starts to Raptors games the first quarter gives fans hope for a good game and tonight was no different as the Raptors took a 14-7 lead early and than the Mavs got the next 4 points to make it 14-11 and the Raptors ended the quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 23-13 lead into the hell that has been the second quarter. The Raptors were lead by DeMar DeRozan (a board, an assist, and a steal) and what for it Ed Davis (6 boards, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) both 7 points in the first quarter while Jerryd Bayless (4 boards, a steal, and 3 assists aganist 1 turnover) did everything like a good point guard. For the Mavs Former Raptor (cup of coffee anyone) Shawn Marion (8 points and 2 boards) while should be Raptor (thanks MJ) Tyson Chandler (4 boards along with a steal) was a monster on the glass in the quarter. The Raptors out rebounded (15-12) and out assisted (5-1) the Mavs as they were really working hard with only 13 points given up (thanks Mavs 0 for 6 from 3).

Second Quarter

The hell of a quarter starter with the Raptors scoring the first 2 points to go up 12 (25-13) and then the Mavs scored the next 12 points to tie at 25 and then but what the after it being 29-all the Raptors went on a 17-4 run to open their biggest lead of the game at 13 points (46-33). then Mavs scored the last 7 points of the first half (Raptors lead 46-40 going into the second half). The Raptors were lead by Linas Kleiza (10 points and an assist) and Ed Davis (5 points, 4 boards, with a steal and a block) and the Raptors have 11 turnovers and 10 assists @ half while the Mavs were lead by Caron Buttler (10 points and a steal) while the Jason X 2 had 2 boards with Kidd (1 assist) and Terry (3 assists and 7 points). Jose Juan Barea (7 points, 4 assists, and a board along with a steal) had a quarter himself and the Mavs out rebounded (8-7) and out assisted (10-5) in this quarter but the Raptors going into half.

Third Quarter

The Raptors come out in the third quarter and scored the first 7 points to take another 13 point lead (are these really the Raptors playing, amazing) but the Mavs still work it back to 5 points going into the fourth quarter. as the Mavs outscored the Raptors 19-11 the rest of the quarter. The Raptors were lead by Joey Dorsey (6 boards along with an assist and a steal) and DeMar DeRozan who both had 5 points while the Mavs were lead by Jason Terry (4 points and 2 assists) and Brian Cardinal (5 points and a board). Also in the quarter Kleiza gets called on a foul and walks back on defense and not happy about the call and tells the ref and then he gets a techical foul and he goes to the bench to cool down but on the way to the bench he keeps talking to the ref and the ref gives him a second tech and he is out for the game. The Raptors out rebounded (10-5) and the assists were tied @ 5 so the Raptors are taking a 5 point lead into the fourth quarter aganist Mavs(24-5) and their on the road is it really possible?

Fourth Quarter

The Raptors were up by 3 early in the final quarter and then Jerryd Bayless is injuried and is out for the rest of the game and Barbosa who is not a real point guard has to play the rest of the game at the point and the Raptors fight back and win the game 84-76 and give the Mavs their 6 lose of the season and 4 @ home. The Raptors were lead by Barbosa (6 points with 2 assists and 2 boards) while Ed Davis (3 boards) and Amir Johnson (a board and an assist) both had 5 points while DeMar DeRozan (4 points, 2 boards, an an assist) while the Mavs were lead by Jason Terry (7 points with a board and an assist) and jason Kidd (4 points with 2 boards and an assist).

Final Thoughts

The Raptors played really hard and they faught for every board and when the Mavs cut into the lead the Raptors had a reply for them everytime and it started with Ed Davis in the first half and Joey Dorsey only played the third was as good as last night (foul trouble in the first quarter and Davis was better tonight). If the team followed their examples more the Raptors would be more respectible and the Raptors would not be looking at 40 point second quarter or 60 - 70 point first halfs for their opponents and then the bad part of the game besides Bayless injury was that Linas Kleiza on a no question travel goes into business for himself and gets kicked out of the game. In the end the Raptors played like a team for once and work hard while the Mavs shoot 3's that did not fall (5-22).

Next game Friday

Tom Mehegan