The Dallas Mavericks continued their five-game road trip with the fourth game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. Help arrived for the Mavericks, as their health outlook arguably improved after the team acquired Anthony Davis. But the Mavericks lost a heartbreaker to the 76ers 118-116 at the Wells Fargo Center. Dallas fell to 26-25, while Philadelphia improved to 20-29.
Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 34 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Naji Marshall followed up with 19 points, four rebounds, and five assists. Max Christie added 15 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. Dante Exum had 14 points, one rebound, and four assists. Daniel Gafford scored 12 points and six rebounds. Klay Thompson recorded 12 points and five rebounds.
Dallas Mavericks-Philadelphia 76ers Recap
The Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers game was action-packed from start to finish. The Mavericks ruled out Anthony Davis with an abdominal muscle strain, Dereck Lively II with a right ankle stress fracture, and Dwight Powell with a right hip strain. The 76ers ruled out Jared McCain with a torn meniscus, KJ Martin with a left foot stress reaction, and Paul George with a left finger extensor tendon strain.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Dante Exum, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kessler Edwards, and Daniel Gafford. The Mavericks’ new look — and transition — to a new normal won’t happen overnight, but they had to start somewhere. The Mavericks’ attempt to build a new brand behind Irving and Davis was the plan. Davis gives the Mavericks all the potential in the world defensively.
Tyrese Maxey helped the 76ers with nine points early in the first quarter. Joel Embiid had seven points on 3-of-3 shooting as the 76ers took a 12-9 lead. The 76ers settled for a 36-31 lead at the end of the first. Maxey drove through contact past Thompson and Gafford late in the second quarter The Mavericks’ three-point shooting changed the game’s pace as they took a 65-58 lead into halftime.
Both teams were steady in the third quarter. The Mavericks converted defense to offense, while the 76ers’ offense outshined the defense. The 76ers led 94-87 through three quarters. The 76ers used a 7-0 run to expand the lead to 101-93 at 8:00, but the Mavericks took a 109-107 lead with 4:23 left. Gafford threw down a two-handed jam, while Thompson buried a three-pointer. The 76ers won 118-116 in regulation.
Mavericks-76ers Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks and Philadelphia 76ers featured multiple highlights, such as the Mavericks’ latest trade. Bleacher Report posted on X, “76ers are trading Caleb Martin to the Mavericks for Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick, via @Shams Charania.” The Mavericks sent Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick — owned by the 76ers — for Martin. Neither player had to travel far to reach their new destinations.
For the Mavericks, the shocking decision attracted the attention of news outlets and tabloid news organizations alike. NBACentral posted on X, “The Dallas Mavericks are offering refunds for the remaining home games this season to fans who have canceled their season ticket plans. The Mavericks’ kind gesture might rub salt into the wounds, as many Mavericks fans were frustrated after the Luka Doncic trade.
For the 76ers, their latest trade with the Mavericks took place just hours before Tuesday night’s game between the two teams. The 76ers received Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick — the 76ers’ pick this year — in the trade. Grimes has been averaging 10.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting a career-best 39.8% from the three-point line this season.
Final Thoughts
The Cleveland Cavaliers handed the Dallas Mavericks a 144-101 blowout loss at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday afternoon. Cleveland improved to 40-9, while Dallas fell to 26-24. Jaden Hardy led the Mavericks’ scoring with 21 points, three rebounds, and two assists in 27 minutes of play, while Sam Merrill led the Cavaliers’ scoring with 27 points and one rebound in 23 minutes of play.
The Mavericks’ ability to fight fatigue became a true concern entering Sunday afternoon’s game against the Cavaliers. This was a good thing, but came at a cost, as the younger and inexperienced players had to learn on the fly. The Mavericks are a tired-looking team, which was to be expected, as the team’s recent fetching of players from the bench sparked additional usage that took a physical toll.
Culture was the key to the Mavericks’ acquisition of Davis in exchange for Doncic which was finalized on Sunday morning. The Mavericks’ move shocked the NBA world, who wondered why Doncic would be traded just eight months after leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. General Manager Nico Harrison and Head Coach Jason Kidd reportedly believe the overall culture might improve with Davis and Max Christie.
The Mavericks will conclude their road trip with the fifth and final game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. The Mavericks and Celtics’ NBA Finals rematch is must-see television, despite the injury bug affecting the Mavericks and inconsistency plaguing the Celtics. The Celtics previously defeated the Mavericks 122-107 at the American Airlines Center on January 25.
