DALLAS -- Monta Ellis scored 20 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 18 as the Dallas Mavericks hit seven of their first 10 shots of the fourth quarter to defeat the Toronto Raptors 99-92 on Tuesday night.
The victory was Dallas' third straight, its longest winning streak since early January, and pulled the Mavericks within one game of first-place Houston in the Southwest Division.
DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 18 points. Toronto closed a stretch of four road games in five days with its third consecutive loss, one short of its season high. The Raptors are second in the Eastern Conference, their lead over No. 3 Chicago shrinking to one game.
Dallas' Rajon Rondo sat the final 20 minutes after having words with Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle during a timeout.
