The Mavericks are in a scrambling mode right now, but Monday night, one play ran as smooth as a plane taking flight.

Jason Terry's teardrop floater at the buzzer lifted the Mavs over the luckless Raptors 93-91 at Air Canada Centre.

The Mavs (10-3) avoided the dubious fate of being only the second team to lose to Toronto (1-14) this season with a 10-2 run to finish the game.

"No matter how we got it," Terry said after his 26-point performance, "we needed it."

With depth at swingman depleted by injuries, the Dallas Mavericks re-signed free agent Adrian Griffin on Monday in time for him to be in the lineup at Toronto.

Griffin played 69 games for the Chicago Bulls last season, averaging 2.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.00 steal in 9.7 minutes a game. He started 157 games for Dallas in the 2001-02 and '02-03 seasons.

Swingman was supposed to be a strength for Dallas, but that was before Jerry Stackhouse was injured, Doug Christie was waived because of injuries and Josh Howard was injured Saturday night. Keith Van Horn also has been slowed by a hand problem.

Stackhouse has yet to play this season. Howard is expected to miss at least two games because of a sprained ankle.

Griffin fills the vacancy created when Christie was waived.

The bad news became worse for the Mavs late in the fourth quarter of their loss to the Grizzlies when Josh Howard's right ankle buckled as he tried to defend Damon Stoudamire. Unable to put any pressure on his right foot, Howard was helped off the court.

X-rays taken at the arena were negative, but Howard immediately began to experience swelling. He'll have the ankle revaluated today, and he probably won't be available for the upcoming two-game road trip that begins Monday at Toronto.

"I knew I rolled my ankle right away and I've never really had an ankle sprain before," Howard said. "When they cut the tape off before the X-rays, my ankle was already swollen. We'll see what it looks like [today]."

Though it's unknown how long Howard will be out, the Mavs immediately began considering options to fill the roster opening created Friday by Doug Christie's departure.

Former Mavs forward and current free agent Adrian Griffin has emerged as the front-runner to be signed. Also out is Jerry Stackhouse (sore knee), leaving Marquis Daniels and rookie Rawle Marshall as the only healthy swingmen on the roster.

"Nobody will feel sorry for us," Johnson said. "We just have to make some adjustments. If you have five players, you have a chance to win."

With Doug Christie's Mavericks career lasting just seven games, two defensive-minded, Dallas-based swingmen are on the list of possible successors: George Lynch and Darvin Ham. It's no lock, though, that the Mavericks will sign another veteran.

They're exploring the possibilities, but they're also hoping that Jerry Stackhouse, unavailable so far because of a knee ailment, can return soon and render a move unnecessary.

Doug Christie was waived by the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, a move that could be a precursor to the veteran guard's retirement.

The 35-year-old Christie left the team, which was in Miami to play the Heat on Friday night, last week to have his surgically repaired left ankle examined by a personal physician. The team signed Christie to a three-year contract this past offseason, but only $3.15 million in salary was guaranteed.

"We appreciate the effort Doug gave us," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said Friday by e-mail. "He went through a lot to get back. Unfortunately, it didn't work out."

Christie's agent, Bradley Marshall, did not immediately comment after the team announced its move. "Got to call you back," Marshall said before hanging up abruptly when reached on his cell phone.

League approval that will make Doug Christie an ex-Maverick is expected today.

Coach Avery Johnson said Thursday that all that remains between Christie's retirement because of his left ankle injury is for the NBA office, the Mavericks and Christie to complete paperwork. It will be a retirement because of injury, not a waiving.

"We should have some resolution (today)," Johnson said, adding that there was no scenario in which Christie would remain a Maverick.

Owner Mark Cuban was more cautious, saying that nothing is certain until the commissioner approves it. But Cuban said he was extremely pleased with the way Christie has handled the situation.

"He was completely open and honest," Cuban said. "Doug gave 110 percent in his attempt to come back. I have a ton of respect for the hard work he put in. He just couldn't do what he wanted to on the court and that frustrated him."

The Mavericks signed the 6-7 swingman as an insurance policy. Now that Marquis Daniels has proven he's healthy and resuming his on-the-rise career, the insurance no longer is needed.

When Christie's retirement is finalized, it may allow the Mavericks to collect insurance on part of the $3.15-million he is owed for this season.

The Mavericks also will start the wheels turning toward getting a replacement player.

Doug Christie?s run with the Mavericks could be coming to an end in the next few days.

Christie left the team last week to get a second opinion on a sore left ankle in Seattle. Mavs owner Mark Cuban acknowledged Tuesday night that Christie may elect not to return.

"His doctors say the ankle is OK, but not perfect," Cuban said before the game against Houston. "Doug is deciding what he wants to do."

Retirement is an option. Cuban expects a decision before the end of the week.

Christie signed a three-year contract with the Mavs during the off-season, but only the first season at $3.15 million was guaranteed. The Mavs could also be discussing a settlement with the veteran guard.

New York Post columnist Peter Vecsey is reporting that Doug Christie might be done.

It has come to my attention his Dallas four-year salary numbers ($3.15M/$3.4M/$365M/$3.9M) do not reflect the Mavericks' actual commitment.

According to someone in the know, only this year's money is guaranteed and there are even ways for owner Mark Cuban to get out of that should the ailing guard not meet certain (unknown) conditions. Evidently that could very well become a reality. Christie went home to Seattle to have his surgically repaired right ankle examined, and indications are the Mavs and NBA have seen the last of him.

Mavericks coach Avery Johnson dismissed the possibility of adding free agent and former Golden State teammate Latrell Sprewell if Doug Christie doesn't return from injury.

Keith Van Horn (sprained right middle finger) will be a game-time decision for tonight's meeting with Houston. He has missed two of the last three games with the injury, and he aggravated it in the game he played.

Doug Christie will miss his third game, and the Mavericks still are waiting for information to filter out of Seattle, where he is undergoing rehabilitation.

Jerry Stackhouse did not go through Monday's practice. Coach Avery Johnson said he is hopeful that Stackhouse, who has missed the first nine games, will be able to practice Wednesday.