Joel Embiid's Sixers Use Late Surge to Defeat Luka Doncic's Mavs

After leading by as many as 12 points, the Dallas Mavericks came up short against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.

PHILADELPHIA — In a nationally televised matchup, the Dallas Mavericks sought a much-needed win over the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers came out on top with 116-108 being the final score — dropping the Mavs' record to 37-40 on the season.  

After recently getting off to slow starts, the Mavs took a 23-12 lead using a Maxi Kleber made 3-pointer with 3:55 left to play in the opening period. Philadelphia rallied back and took a brief lead after Georges Niang led a 3-point shooting barrage, but Dallas ended the period leading 37-28.

Philadelphia chipped away at the Mavs' lead before the break, achieving a four-point scoring differential in the second quarter. However, Dallas still led 62-57 through two quarters. Kyrie Irving had totaled 15 points and two steals before halftime, with Luka Doncic totaling 11 points, five rebounds, and six assists. 

The Sixers created some momentum to lead the Mavs 74-71 with 6:41 left in the period after P.J. Tucker finishes in the paint. Philadelphia has outscored Dallas 17-9 coming out of the break, but the Mavs had responded with a 10-2 run, retaking a five-point edge midway through the period.

A short-range pull-up jumper from Irving pushed the Mavericks' lead over the Sixers to 101-98 with 8:09 left in regulation. A pair of mid-range jumpers from Joel Embiid helped Philadelphia to take a 105-103 lead around the halfway mark of the period.

The Mavs had trailed by as many as six points with 3:35 on the clock and never managed to successfully rally back. A step-back 3-pointer from Doncic had cut it to just three, but the overall execution wasn't quite there in the end. The Sixers outscored Dallas by a 10-point margin in the final period as the Mavs only put 17 points on the board within the frame.

Doncic led the Mavs with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. His fellow superstar, Irving, totaled 23 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Tim Hardaway Jr. wasn't far behind in the scoring department with 21 points on five made 3s. 

It was a balanced effort for the Sixers, who received 24 points, nine rebounds, and three assists from Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey chipped in 22 points and four assists. There were four other double-figure scorers, including James Harden, who totaled 15 points and 12 assists. 

The Mavs return to action on Friday when they take on the Miami Heat, marking the fourth stop in part of a five-game road trip.

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