The Philadelphia 76ers handled business at home on Saturday night, picking up a hard-fought win over the Dallas Mavericks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. With both teams looking to build momentum-Philly aiming to solidify its spot in the top half of the Eastern Conference and Dallas trying to climb out of the bottom tier in the West-this one had the energy of a midseason measuring stick.
First Half: Maxey Sets the Tone, Sixers Control Early
The Sixers came out swinging, dropping 37 points in the opening quarter and setting the tone offensively. Tyrese Maxey wasted no time making his presence felt, pouring in 22 points by halftime on 9-of-18 shooting. He was aggressive, decisive, and efficient-exactly what Philly needed from their lead guard with Joel Embiid out of the lineup.
But Maxey wasn’t doing it alone. Dominick Barlow and VJ Edgecombe stepped up in a big way, combining for 30 first-half points.
Barlow was particularly sharp, shooting 70% from the field and showing off a soft touch around the rim. Edgecombe brought a spark, attacking the paint and knocking down free throws with confidence.
Philadelphia’s offensive rhythm was matched by a defensive energy that helped them take a 68-62 lead into the break. The Sixers’ ball movement and shot selection were clicking, and while their defense wasn’t perfect, it was just enough to keep Dallas chasing.
Dallas Hangs Around, But Can't Close the Gap
For the Mavericks, Anthony Davis led the way with 14 points in the first half, shooting a clean 7-of-10 from the field. He was a force inside, using his size and footwork to get good looks.
Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall chipped in with 12 points each, both showing flashes of offensive versatility. Marshall, in particular, was perfect from the field and the line, playing within himself and making smart decisions.
But Dallas struggled to generate consistent offense beyond that trio. Klay Thompson couldn’t find his rhythm, going 2-for-6 from the floor and missing all four of his three-point attempts. D’Angelo Russell and Max Christie were non-factors, and the bench production simply didn’t match what Philadelphia was getting.
Turnovers also hurt the Mavs-costly mistakes in transition and miscommunication in the halfcourt stalled their comeback attempts. Despite some solid individual efforts, the team couldn't string together enough stops or buckets to swing the momentum.
Supporting Cast Shines for Philly
While Maxey’s scoring led the way, Philly’s depth was the story. Barlow’s 16 points came on efficient shooting, and he added a couple of steals to his stat line.
Edgecombe’s 14 points were backed by a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the line, and he showed poise beyond his years. Jared McCain didn’t shoot well from the field, but he got to the line and made plays defensively, contributing two steals and two assists.
Andre Drummond did what he does best-crashing the glass and anchoring the paint. He pulled down nine rebounds and even hit a three, showing he's still got that occasional range when left open. Adem Bona added some muscle in the paint, going 4-for-4 from the line and grabbing five boards.
What’s Next
For Dallas, the loss is another reminder of how thin the margin for error is when the supporting cast can’t deliver. They’ll try to regroup quickly with a matchup against the Pelicans on Monday.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, will look to build on this win when they take on the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. With Maxey in All-Star form and the young supporting cast stepping up, the Sixers are showing they can stay competitive even without their MVP big man.
This was the first of two meetings between these teams this season, with the rematch set for January 1 in Dallas. If Saturday was any indication, that New Year’s Day game could be another entertaining battle between two squads trying to define their identities in a crowded league landscape.