TORONTO – This wasn't the sort of welcome back Eddie Jones had envisioned.

The 36-year-old guard returned after a month on the shelf with a right ankle injury. He played nearly 16 minutes Wednesday, all in the second half, and had three rebounds, two assists, a steal, an airball and a flagrant foul.

A disputed flagrant, and one that likely will be appealed, but a flagrant nonetheless.

The Mavericks couldn't like much about their loss to Toronto, but what they did like was that Jones was back in uniform and that his energy was obvious when he was on the court.

Jones said he didn't have any problems with his ankle. That, in itself, made the night successful for him.

"I didn't like the shot I took," he said of the airball from 3-point land. "But that's just timing. I haven't played in a month."

But better times are ahead, he promised, saying that fans haven't seen the real Eddie Jones yet.

Jones was involved in a part of the game that may have kept the Mavericks from having a chance for a comeback win. They had trimmed an 18-point halftime deficit to nine with 45.3 seconds left in the third quarter.

But Chris Bosh scored, then Jones was called for a flagrant foul against Darrick Martin, who made both free throws, followed by a 3-pointer by Jason Kapono for a 75-59 Toronto lead.

"They said I hit him across the face," Jones said. "That's what he said."

Avery Johnson said he didn't think it was a flagrant foul.

"That's not the worst one we've seen," Johnson said. "But that had no bearing on the game. I thought the referees actually did a good job tonight.

"We just weren't very good."

■ Save the ales: Late in the first half of Wednesday's game, J.J. Barea fumbled the ball out of bounds. The ball bounced into the front row of fans, upsetting a perfectly good, cold beer.

Referee Gary Zielinski looked at the front-row fan and said: "If you're going to sit in those seats, you're going to have to either catch the ball or save the beer. You did neither."

■ Energy lacking: A sure sign that the Mavericks didn't have any zip came when Raptors reserve Kris Humphries burned them for 16 points and 12 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

"Humphries killed us on the glass, which is all hustle," Dirk Nowitzki said. "You have to put a body on him and get some rebounds."

■ Briefly: Devean George scored his first basket of the season on a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. When he and Jones were on the court for the last 14 seconds of the third quarter, it was the first time this season they've played together. ... In Toronto's last three games, all wins, they have held opponents to a combined 39 percent shooting and 81.3 points.