Dirk and Mavs rally past Raptors

So what’s this about a Dirk Nowitzki slump?

The reigning MVP shot that theory down with the four 3-pointers he drilled to finish out the third quarter, as the Mavericks rallied from 24 down to upend Toronto 105-99 Tuesday night before 20,272 fans at American Airlines Center.

"We could have given up," Mavs coach Avery Johnson said.

The comeback ties the second largest in franchise history, coming up just one point shy of the team record. If the Raptors are feeling a case of déjà vu, it’s understandable. Toronto squandered a 24-point lead to Dallas in a 115-113 overtime loss on Feb. 25, 2005.

Nowitzki came into the game averaging 19.8 points on 45-percent shooting, numbers considered solid for most, but sub-par for Dallas’ franchise player. He scored 18 in the third quarter alone, hitting six out of eight, including four straight from downtown.

“I got a lot of good looks in the first half, but never really got it going, we were down 20 and energy wasn’t there,” Nowitzki said. “The third quarter was great. We moved the ball. We pushed the ball and we finally played some defense and got back in transition and forced them into tougher shots.

“The team is on me a little bit about shooting more, obviously they have a lot of confidence in me and my rhythm hasn’t been that great in the first couple of games. I know it’s early in the season, if the shots there, I’m going to take it. If not then I going to move it and give someone else a good shot. Once you get in a good rhythm and your confidence is up and shots fell for me in the third.”