After several disastrous results against Eastern Conference powerhouses, the Philadelphia 76ers bounced back and defeated the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. It's satisfying to see Miles Bridges lose, but there's no reason to celebrate in a big way over the lowly Hornets. The Sixers will try to stack up this afternoon against another playoff opponent in Sunday's matinee vs. the Dallas Mavericks. Tipoff is scheduled to be around noon Texas Central Time, and games with different start times can sometimes get a little funky and often get off to a slow start.
Dallas is 34-26 this season, but has been playing well lately. Before losing three of four games, the Mavericks had won seven straight games, starting with a 118-102 win over the Sixers in Philadelphia last month. His net rating in February was +7.8, which was good for sixth in the NBA. (If I needed a statistic to add to the cavernous pangs of disappointment I felt last month, the Sixers finished 27th out of 30 teams.)
The Mavericks made several mid-sized moves at the trade deadline, starting with acquiring P.J. Washington and acquiring Grant Williams, Seth Curry and two 2027 first-round picks from Charlotte. Dallas valued Washington's versatility with his ability to handle the bits, serve as a screener, and man the floor as a four-man. He averaged 11.4 points in eight games as a Maverick. Dallas also acquired Daniel Gafford from Washington in exchange for Richaun Holmes and Oklahoma City's 2024 first-round pick (which Dallas acquired from the Thunder in a 2028 pick swap). Gafford came off the bench for Dallas, averaging 9.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while partnering with rookie Derek Lively II at center.
Of course, the key to slowing down Dallas will be protecting their star guard duo. In fact, the Sixers did a pretty good job against Luka Doncic in matchups before this season, with Jaden Springer cornering the MVP candidate. Of course, Springer is currently with the Boston Celtics, so we'll see how the 2024 second-round pick fares against Doncic this afternoon. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is enjoying his healthiest period of the season, which is no coincidence with Dallas' recent success. Irving hasn't missed a game since February 3. Philadelphia will be without De'Anthony Melton more than most matchups, as he has to battle two of the most explosive scoring guards in the league. Outside of the usual unavailable bodies for the Sixers, Kelly Oubre Jr. (shoulder) and KJ Martin (ankle) are both questionable.
There are a few things to note on the Sixers' side. Will Kyle Lowry return to the starting lineup alongside Tyrese Maxey? Can Buddy Hield reignite like he did in his first few games as a Sixer? Is Tobias Harris officially out of his funk or was it just a one-game hallucination against Charlotte? He'll be watching the game with a nationally televised audience, something that hasn't been going well for the Sixers lately. is. Hope Philadelphia has better luck this afternoon as they look to pull off an upset on the road.
Game details
Who: philadelphia 76ers vs. Dallas Mavericks
when: 1:00 PM ET
where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
clock: ABC
wireless: 97.5 Fanatic
to follow: @LibertyBallers
