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The Philadelphia 76ers will look to build on an impressive 116-107 road win over the New York Knicks as they return home to face the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. Philadelphia is 6-4 over its last 10 games and sits just 0.5 games behind the fourth-seeded Boston Celtics and leads the sixth-place Orlando Magic by the same margin.
Momentum has been an ongoing issue for the 76ers, but Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe continue to bail the team out with difference making plays. The duo combined for 53 points against the Knicks on Saturday.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, put forth exactly the kind of effort they needed to dust off their narrow loss to the Utah Jazz and secure a much-needed win against the Eastern Conference leaders Detroit Pistons on Thursday.
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The pairing of Anthony Davis and Cooper Flagg continues to pay dividends, something Dallas continues to utilize until Kyrie Irving is fully back. The pairing struggled for a handful of games, but they appear to have found momentum again and will look to continue that as they try to gain ground in the standings.
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Saturday’s matchup also features a Rookie of the Year showdown between Edgecombe and Flagg. Edgecombe continues to be an integral part of Philadelphia’s offense, while Flagg is heating up after a slow start to the season. The Mavericks rookie is averaging 18.6 points per game and is coming off a 23-point performance in a 116-114 win over the Pistons after erupting for a career-high 42 points against the Jazz one game earlier.
Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineups and Depth Charts (Dec. 20)
Dallas Mavericks Starting Lineup and Depth Chart
Coach Jason Kidd will be hoping that he can call upon Anthony Davis, who is listed as probable while dealing with illness. Davis played through the illness in the previous game against the Pistons and exited twice to vomit, but with a day of rest, he should be good to feature.
Meanwhile, Klay Thompson is listed as questionable with knee soreness. Kyrie Irving continues his ACL recovery, which is trending in the right direction. Dereck Lively (season-ending foot injury) and Dante Exum (season-ending knee injury) continue to be sidelined.
The Mavs are expected to keep their lineup the same as in recent games, as it has been successful: Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Cooper Flagg and Ryan Nembhard.
Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineup and Depth Chart
On the opposite side, 76ers coach Nick Nurse has insisted that the team is being patient with Joel Embiid’s minutes. He did not suit up in the previous game against the Knicks, citing illness. Embiid is listed as day-to-day for Saturday’s tilt, with a decision likely to be made ahead of tipoff.
Meanwhile, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford continue to remain sidelined. Oubre is dealing with knee soreness, while Watford is out with a thigh injury.
Since it is the second leg of a back-to-back for the 76ers, Nurse will be careful managing minutes and avoiding any setbacks. This is the lineup he is most likely to go with: Paul George, Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond, Tyrese Maxey and V. J. Edgecombe.
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