TORONTO (AFP) -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 38 points and Josh Howard sank the game-winning layup with one second to play here Sunday, giving Dallas a 97-96 victory over Toronto in a National Basketball Association thriller.

The Mavericks won their fourth game in a row and 17th in the past 18 starts, improving the league's best record to 31-8. It was the seventh consecutive triumph in a row for Dallas over Toronto.

German superstar Nowitzki managed only six points in a 117-98 Dallas victory over Toronto back in November, leaving the game in the first quarter with blurred vision.

But he was seeing clearly Sunday, finishing with 11 rebounds and five assists and helping Dallas rally from a 15-point third-quarter deficit by scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter.

The Raptors, who fell to 17-21 but still lead the woeful Atlantic Division, led 96-95 when Toronto's Chris Bosh won a jump ball near the Dallas basket with nine seconds remaining.

Nowitzki reached up and deflected the ball to Howard, who called a timeout with six seconds left.

Dallas inbounded the ball to Jason Terry, who was trying to set up a final shot by Nowitzki. That prompted Bosh to leave Howard unguarded under the basket and Terry fired a pass to Howard for the decisive basket.

Toronto had a final chance to win but Anthony Parker's 28-foot desperation heave fell well short at the final buzzer.

Terry scored 17 points while Howard finished with 14 and Devin Harris added 10 for Dallas. Bosh scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Raptors, who last beat Dallas on November 6, 2003.