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Tyrese Maxey came close to achieving his second career triple-double on Thursday night in Dallas, recording 34 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, and two steals as he led the Philadelphia 76ers to a 123-108 win over the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. This victory improved the Sixers’ record to 18-14 overall and 2-2 on a five-game road trip, while Dallas dropped to 12-23. VJ Edgecomb contributed 23 points, five rebounds, and four steals, and Joel Embiid added 22 points, six assists, and four rebounds. The Sixers were still missing Kelly Oubre Jr. due to a left knee injury and Trendon Watford because of a left adductor strain.
The Sixers have a 2-2 record on this road trip and will wrap it up against the New York Knicks on Saturday. Here’s a breakdown of their win over the Mavericks:
Defense took its time to ramp up once again. For the third consecutive game, Philadelphia struggled to generate defensive stops early. Dallas started strong, making 9 of their first 10 shots and taking a 20-14 lead following a fast-break dunk by Cooper Flagg. The Sixers allowed 26 points in the paint in the first quarter, continuing a trend of subpar defensive performances at the start of games. Their defensive ratings by quarter this season show the first quarter ranked 22nd in the NBA, while the second quarter defense improved to fourth place. The third quarter defense was the worst in the league, and the fourth quarter was the best.
During the last three games, opponents have been firing at an outstanding 92.6% from the field in the opening minutes.
Offensively, the second quarter was entertaining thanks to strong performances from the Sixers’ star players. Maxey used his speed to get the better of Caleb Martin, scoring as his former teammate fell. Embiid assisted Quentin Grimes on a corner three-pointer, and Paul George energized the team with a powerful dunk. Edgecomb hit a long-range shot to extend the lead to 11 points late in the second and was one of four Sixers players scoring in double digits in the half. Grimes contributed eight points in that quarter as well. Edgecomb has now recorded nine 20-point games this season, six coming in his last eight games.
Grimes also played a critical role off the bench, logging 38 minutes as the sixth man. The Sixers’ bench unit featured five players, with Jabari Walker returning after Dominick Barlow picked up early fouls. Andre Drummond started as backup center but was replaced in the second half by Adem Bona, who played alongside Embiid for the final 84 seconds of the second quarter. Barlow struggled with foul trouble, eventually committing his sixth foul with 7:33 left in the fourth, allowing Bona to step in.
Despite the slow start, the Mavericks struggled, only making 6 of 28 three-point attempts. They managed to cut the lead to 94-90 early in the fourth quarter on a leaner from Naji Marshall. However, the Sixers responded with key shots from Maxey, Embiid, and Grimes, quickly restoring their double-digit lead. Grimes had one of his best performances in weeks with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, seven rebounds, and two assists. Edgecomb’s hustle and defensive effort stood out late, helping the Sixers secure a crucial road win.
Fan Take: This win highlights the growing synergy of the Sixers’ star players and the strength of their bench, which is vital for their playoff aspirations. Basketball fans should watch closely as Maxey’s emerging all-around game and defensive improvements could make the Sixers a serious contender this season.
