So why is it that when a team from another country, Toronto, comes to town, it's more of a homecoming than any other team in the league? Chris Bosh is a Dallas boy, born and raised. T.J. Ford is a Houston boy and played at Texas. Even Maceo Baston is from Corsicana, which is just a tank of gas away from the metroplex here. With the tickets they had to buy for their friends, this was a sure-fire sell out.

3 Cheers: Mavs 105, Raptors 99

1. Chris Bosh - Welcome home with your 31 points on 12 of 22 shooting and 12 rebounds. Sucks your team gave up a 24 point lead. At least you got a good home cooked meal while you were here.

2. Jason Terry - Teamed with Dirk in the 3rd to help turn a 24 point 2nd quarter deficit into a 9 point lead going into the 4th. 19 points, 3 boards. 5 assists.

3. Andrea Bargnani - Started off strong, has really bad hair, and is labeled as a poor man's Dirk. Well, Dirk must have taken offense to that, but Bargie still shot 5 of 9 from behind the arc for 20 points and 5 boards.

Random Crap!

• Dirk's Digits: Dirk's been deferring to his teammates a lot so far this year, getting them involved, boosting his assists, showing his trust, etc. In this game, he just decided he wanted to win, so he drilled 4 straight 3 pointers in the 3rd quarter to will the Mavs to victory. He finished with a game high 32 points, 7 boards, an assist and a block.
• J.J. Barea has a large bandage on his throat, but since he hasn't played in a while, I'm not exactly sure why it's there. Must be a Puerto Rican thing.
• We are sucking in the first quarter. I mean, we couldn't drop a turd in a bucket until the last 5 minutes of the half to cut the 24 point deficit to 14 going into halftime. Little did I know at the time that it was a precursor to what I was in store for. Good thing. I'm watching this on Tivo at 3:00 a.m. on my couch. I don't sleep well, if you haven't gathered by now.
• I just want to ask, what's with the high fives after each free throw shot? Even if you miss it, you have to slap skin with every teammate on the floor. Why? Maybe if you made a free throw, and it's pivotal. But even after you miss? And it's not even like you are seeking it out. Your teammates come swarming at you to give you a high five. Yet when you get a wicked alley oop for a ferocious dunk, all you see is the player pointing an acknowledging finger in the direction of the guy that set him up. It doesn't make any sense. Stop with the high fives during free throws, especially if you miss one.
• Jason Kapono looked dumb this offseason for leaving the Miami Heat for the Toronto Raptors. He doesn't look so dumb anymore.
• Jerry Stackhouse is off to a very slow start this year, and I don't know if that's because he's no longer the true 6th man or if he's just in a slump. Something to keep an eye on. The Dude's on it.
• Toronto's Carlos Delfino looks exactly like his last name would suggest. It's uncanny. After the game, he's going to roll a pack of smokes in his sleeve, put on a leather jacket, and hang out with the Fonz.

Still catching up on game reviews, but I will be all sorted out soon. Then it's time for my Christmas list. I know what I want from Santa, do you? Go Mavs!