Sixers See More Offensive Struggles, Fall To Mavericks In Third Straight Loss
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 27 points and the Dallas Mavericks handed the Philadelphia 76ers their second straight home loss, 117-98 on Friday night.
The Mavericks improved to 11-2 on the road despite playing without second-year star guard Luka Doncic. The 20-year-old missed his third straight game with a right ankle sprain. Doncic, one of the league leaders in minutes, points, rebounds and assists, is averaging 29.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists.
Joel Embiid had 33 points and 17 rebounds for Philadelphia, which lost its third in a row overall. The 76ers were booed for much of the night while falling to 14-2 at home. The 76ers suffered their first home loss on Wednesday, 108-104 to Miami in a contest in which the Heat stifled Philadelphia with a 2-3 zone.
Philadelphia couldn't solve Dallas' matchup 2-3 zone, either. Dallas held the 76ers to 29.4% shooting from long range; Philadelphia missed 24 of 34 3-pointers.
Dallas took control in the second quarter, going up by as many as 17. The Mavericks held am 88-77 lead entering the fourth.
Trey Burke, normally not in Philadelphia coach Brett Brown's rotation, came off the bench and pulled Philadelphia within seven points, 94-87, with seven minutes remaining. But the Mavericks kept coming offensively, with a Hardaway 3 initiating an 11-6 spurt that ended with a jumper by Jalen Brunson that put Dallas ahead 108-93 with 3:22 left, leading to more boos and chants for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles will host the Dallas Cowboys in an important NFC East divisional game across the street on Sunday.
Porzingis put an exclamation point on the victory with a driving, one-handed jam with 39.3 seconds left.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Brunson, who starred collegiately at nearby Villanova, was booed during introductions. He finished with 11 points and seven assists in 24 minutes. … Dallas also won at Milwaukee on Monday without Doncic, ending the Bucks' 18-game winning streak with a 120-116 victory.
76ers: Longtime Philadelphia news anchor Jim Gardner rang the ceremonial Liberty Bell in the pregame. … Tobias Harris had seven points and Al Horford had nine. ... Ben Simmons had 12 points, eight assists and five turnovers.
UP NEXT
Mavericks: At Toronto on Sunday.
76ers: Host Washington Saturday.
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