February 05, 2024
Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports
Injuries have piled up for the Sixers, giving chances to players like Jaden Springer, whose defense against Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic impressed Monday night.
Looking to rebound after a disastrous loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, the Sixers played host to the supremely talented -- yet struggling -- Dallas Mavericks. The Sixers, who remain undermanned due to injuries to Joel Embiid and others, fell to the Mavericks, 118-102, despite a promising start to the game. Here is what stood out from the loss:
Embiid remains out, with his longterm availability in question. Meanwhile, the Sixers were also missing regular starters De'Anthony Melton (back) and Nic Batum (hamstring), as well as once-key reserve Robert Covington (knee).
"We're at the stage right now where, can we get the guys here to dig in and fight and give ourselves a chance to win?" Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame.
"The problem we've got is we're missing two or three other starters, too," Nurse continued. "That's when it gets pretty tough... We certainly need a little more firepower out there."
The Sixers and Mavericks were trading blows early, before an 18-9 Sixers run to end the first quarter gave them some separation. The biggest key: the Sixers held Dallas' tremendous guard duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to just seven combined points and one combined assist in that opening quarter. Pivotal to that effort was Kelly Oubre Jr., who in addition to scoring nine first quarter points, spent time defending both of the Mavericks' star ball-handlers.
Additionally, after Tyrese Maxey picked up his third foul midway through the first quarter, the Sixers outscored Dallas by five points with him off the floor. Tobias Harris shouldered the creation load during that period, scoring four points and dishing out four assists in the first frame. Marcus Morris Sr. scored five points and grabbed three boards, and Danuel House Jr. and Patrick Beverley each made a few standout plays on both ends of the floor. It was an inspired start to the game for the Sixers.
The Sixers are not only missing several large pieces from a figurative perspective -- they are lacking literal size in their rotation as well. That's what made it especially notable that for significant portions of this game, they manhandled the Mavericks -- a team that desperately needs to add size at this week's NBA Trade Deadline.
Springer's situation in his third NBA season is unlike that of almost any other NBA player. He is on the fringe of the rotation, in and out of the lineup on a regular basis. Yet when he does play, Springer is almost exclusively tasked with defending the best offensive players in the NBA. Springer, who did not check in until the opening moments of the second quarter, spent almost the entire period in the game and tracking Doncic's every step. Springer more than held his own against the MVP candidate, making every dribble and shot earned and forcing a trio of turnovers with his three steals. His work was rewarded with a much earlier entrance in the second half, when he checked in not even halfway through the third quarter.
Harris scored 10 points, dished out five assists and grabbed four rebounds in the first half alone, and he did it while being extremely efficient. Nurse spoke pregame about how crucial it is that Harris gives the Sixers his best work, particularly on the offensive end of the floor, while Embiid is sidelined. Harris was excellent in this one in just about every respect, and his uncharacteristic production as a passer was particularly impressive and noteworthy.
Nurse has spoken multiple times about wanting to see Paul Reed and Mo Bamba step up in Embiid's absence and stabilize the team's center rotation. After struggling mightily on Saturday, Bamba had some mixed results in this one: he hauled in double-digit rebounds, certainly a positive. But his finishing around the rim, on plenty of opportunities, was poor, as were his defensive rotations. The Sixers need 48 minutes of competent center play on a nightly basis. With the deadline nearing, it will soon be clear whether or not the team believes Bamba can contribute to that effort.
The Sixers' effort in the second half was not particularly poor or problematic, but with a severe talent deficit already plaguing them, they had no answers once Irving and the Mavericks got hot on the offensive end of the floor. Irving charged a spirited Mavericks third quarter run, and in the fourth his teammates chipped in with timely shot after timely shot, each one looking more like a dagger than the one that came before it. It is perhaps this simple: Maxey was not his best, and so the Sixers lost. For as long as Embiid is out, get used to reading these words, because this will surely not be an isolated occurrence.
