The Dallas Mavericks lost to the Toronto Raptors Monday night, 116-93.

A depleted Mavs lineup faced a challenge far too tricky to overcome, as Toronto attacked Dallas early and often. The game floated around single-digits up until the fourth quarter when Toronto blew the doors open. Give the Mavs credit. The team fought valiantly for three-quarters of the night, but by the fourth quarter, everyone looked visibly fatigued.

Final.#MFFL | @Chime pic.twitter.com/6PmGWRTlU1

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) January 19, 2021

Kristaps Porzingis finally finds some ground:

It took four games, but Kristaps Porzingis finally looks acclimated to the NBA game again. He scored a game-high 23 points, shooting 8-14 from the field and 2-5 from three. On the defensive end, he was active in blocking two shots and altering a few more at the rim. For the first time all season, it looked as though the Mavs had a paint presence. He threw down a bevy of aggressive dunks and showcased that, on a night when Luka Doncic is struggling, he is capable of carrying a bigger offensive load.

One aspect of Porzingis' night that was intriguing to see was how he operated in the high post and mid-range area. He looked comfortable catching the ball in those spots for the first time in his four games played. The moves he made were decisive. There was no hesitation in his game. An offensive series that showcased this new-found confidence was in the fourth quarter with the smaller OG Anunoby guarding him. Porzingis caught the ball free throw line extended and used his height to his advantage, shooting right over Anunoby after the decisive faceup.

This is the all-star caliber Porzingis Mavs fans remember. He is such a gifted offensive player when playing free and open. His moves need to be quick, based on a reaction from how the defense is guarding him. And again, that decisive rhythm will come in time. However, it was exciting to see Porzingis look like his old self again.

Depth issues as players continue to miss time:

It's hard to win games when key players of your gameday rotation continue to miss time with either an injury or another reason. The Mavs were without Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Josh Richardson, and Dwight Powell Monday night. All of those players play significant minutes in the Mavs rotations. To win without a majority of a team's key rotation players is almost asking for the impossible to be possible. In Dallas' last two losses, a lack of depth due to injuries or illness has been at the center of the lack of offensive production. Monday night was no different. From behind the arc, Dallas shot 25 percent. And from the field, it wasn't much better, as the Mavs could only muster a lackadaisical 38 percent field goal shooting. Things got ugly, fast.

Tim Hardaway Jr. shot a horrendous 0-12 from the field and 0-6 from three. He was instrumental for Dallas during its four-game win streak. His lack of production last night was a clear reason why the offense struggled as a whole.

Doncic didn't play particularly well either. He scored 15 points, dished out 9 assists, and grabbed 7 rebounds. Dallas was a -10 with him on the floor tonight. And by the end of the game, Doncic looked visibly frustrated by the lack of spacing and off-ball creation. It's important to note that it was the second night of a back-to-back. Fatigue could have played a primary factor in Doncic's sub-standard play on the night.

Looking ahead:

Well, the Mavs drop to 6-7 on the year. It feels as though something always hinders Dallas right when it seems to starts figuring things out. In a way, it's unfair. However, injuries do not last forever. And key players will return at some point during the season. It's clear that both Doncic and Porzingis need more help from everyone else on the roster. It's also clear that Dallas shouldn't ask Doncic to be superhuman two nights in a row – only Clark Kent can do that. The dog days of the NBA season are hard on everyone, Dallas will get out of it soon enough.

 Feature image via Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports