This Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers will visit the Dallas Mavericks in a pivotal NBA matchup for both teams. The game is being played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas and the opening tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The Sixers are playing the second night of a back-to-back, while the Mavericks have a 32-31 record. Last year, these two teams met twice, and the spread went both ways.
76ers vs. Mavericks injuries: 1 Questionable, 2 Out
Dallas Mavericks’ acquisition of Kyrie Irving, formerly of the Nets, Celtics, and Cavaliers, just before the trade deadline caused quite a stir. The union between Irving and Mavericks star Luka Doncic has not been successful, at least on the court, so far.
Despite their obvious chemistry off the court, the Mavs are just 3-4 since Kyrie’s arrival and 1-1 when the two are on the court together. Both other victories occurred after Doncic was taken off the court.
- Luka Doncic – Ready
In 38 minutes of action against the Pacers on Tuesday, Doncic scored 39 points (14-25 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 8-12 FT), grabbed eight boards, dished out six assists, and blocked a shot.
With 39 points, Doncic still hasn’t had a stretch of three games without a 30-point performance. When it comes to defensive rating, the Pacers are 24th in the NBA, making them the ideal opponent to help Doncic get back on track.
He has a chance to further improve his scoring record tonight, but he needs to know where he is competing.
The Philadelphia 76ers are now three games behind the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference’s third spot. But the Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t too far behind, so they can’t afford to relax.
They also have Joel Embiid, who is a candidate for MVP every year and could end up winning it this time. When compared to the rest of the NBA’s top scorers, Embiid’s 33 points per game is second best only to Luka Doncic’s average.
The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t need Joel Embiid last night, so they gave him the night off.
Embiid’s left foot problem has been an ongoing problem all season. Embiid’s status for today’s game in Dallas is currently unknown.
- Read more: Joel Embiid injury status of the 76ers
Dewayne Dedmon (hip) is expected to miss “a few more games,” according to Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers, as reported by Austin Krell of USA Today.
Even though Dedmon’s hip pain isn’t expected to be too serious, the veteran still needs rest.
