The Sixers put on a show in Dallas

The fourth loss in a row for the Mavericks who still found Anthony Davis. The Sixers won 123-108 led by the still brilliant Tirese Makey and the efficient Embiid-Edgecombe duo.

With Davis in the middle, the Mavericks immediately surprise Philadelphia’s amorphous defense. Dallas attacks the racket relentlessly: 13 of 15 in the paint, for a total of 65%. The ball circulates well, the cuts hurt and Philadelphia is systematically late in pulling away. Dallas starts 6/6 shooting and attempts just one 3-point shot… successful (18-12). On the Sixers side, the offense relies almost exclusively on Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe, who make most of the shots to avoid the layup. After 12 minutes, Dallas logically leads (33-27).

Nick Nurse quickly adjusts his rotations and puts Maxey, Embiid and Paul George together. The score was immediate as Philly went on a 17-2 run to take control. On penetrations and quick play, George initiates and then concludes the run while Embiid locks the racket and engages on defense. MVP 2023 calms with his newfound mobility with counterattacks, feints and finishes in the circle. On his side, Edgecomb stands out for his activity: he made fouls, offensive rebounds… The Sixers take the lead (44-37), then increase the deficit before the break and return to the locker room with an 11-point lead (68-57).

Grimes’ heat stroke

After the break, Dallas tried to rally, but without a real run. The skill drops significantly (38% shooting the rest of the match), while Philadelphia controls the tempo. Edgecombe imposes his rhythm with clean finishes in transition (shooting 9/14 in the match). Maxi alternates between long jabs and penetrations, keeping constant pressure on Dallas’ backside. As for Embiid, they settled into the low post and scored without rushing. On the Dallas side, Anthony Davis is struggling to find consistency, as is Cooper Flagg. Klay Thompson, then Jarden Hardy, keep hope of a comeback (92-83).

The Mavericks get their last offense going and get back to -4 early in the period, using a nice pass from the bench. But Philly responds with composure thanks to a veteran home opposite: Quentin Grimes. An interception, then a dunk to stop a Mavericks comeback, and most notably 3 of 3 from long range. Behind, Edgecombe goes flying for a huge canvas on Brandon Williams. The Sixers got going again and ended up winning 123-108.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

Regional phase. Coming out of Baylor, VJ Edgecombe had a few fans in the stands at the Dallas Arena. Unlike Cooper Flagg, the third pick in the draft wins this Rookie of the Year candidate duel with 23 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 1 monstrous block in “money time”.

The return of Davis. Despite the correct address for the continuation of the match (6 of 13 shots), Anthony Davis did not weigh the match between turnovers, mistakes and complicated defense against Joel Embiid.

The Sixers are fighting back. While the Cavaliers and Heat continue to have success, Philly is clinging to the top 6 in the Eastern Conference. Fifth, Nick Nurse’s players are preparing to experience 15 decisive days for the future with four oppositions against the Cavaliers and Raptors, as well as meetings against the Knicks and Magic.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / 3 points in an attempt; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.