Nowitzki, Dampier push Mavs past Raptors, 122-113
04:26 PM CST on Sunday, February 6, 2005
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
TORONTO - It's too late for Erick Dampier to be making an All-Star push, but there is no question that the Mavericks would have somebody joining Dirk Nowitzki in Denver if he'd been playing like this all season.
The Mavericks' center-power forward combination was monstrous once again as they rolled up a 25-point lead, then held on for a 122-113 thumping of Toronto Sunday afternoon at Air Canada Centre.
Dampier had his fifth consecutive double double with 13 points and 12 rebounds while Nowitzki pumped in 30 points and had 11 boards, six assists and four blocked shots. Two of his assists were two Dampier.
"Dirk is looking for me more and I'm just trying to keep playing the way I have," Dampier said. "We had a lot of new players with this team. We knew we had a lot of talent, but the team chemistry is a lot better now."
Added acting coach Avery Johnson: "Dirk and Damp, they're really a sweet combination right now on that front line. Damp's been eating glass every game."
The Mavericks finished the road trip 2-1 by shooting a season-best 60.3 percent. They were up 90-65 late in the third quarter. But the Raptors, who overcame a 22-point deficit against Washington and a 19-point gap against Indiana to win two games last week, bombed away from 3-point range and were within 115-111 with 1:19 left.
Nowitzki committed an offensive foul, but Dallas native Chris Bosh, who had a career-high 29 points for Toronto, slipped and was called for traveling. Jason Terry's 3-pointer with 36.1 left sealed the win. Terry had 15 points and 11 assists. He was one of seven Mavericks in double figures.
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