'Sorry for the Delay!': Mavs Doncic Posts Triple-Double in Comeback Win Over 76ers

Dallas Mavericks faced a hot Philadelphia 76ers at the AAC Friday night. The Mavs defeated the 76ers 107-98.

The Dallas Mavericks, although still very much in the thick of things when it comes to competing for homecourt advantage in the Western Conference playoff standings, had fallen on hard times with their recent stretch of play. After losing four of their last seven games, including back-to-back embracing losses to the Orlando Magic and Oklahoma City Thunder, the Mavs looked to turn things around against MVP-candidate Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Dallas was able to do just that, as they took down Philadelphia at AAC by the final score of 107-98.

On a memorable night, of course Luka Doncic dominated the boxscore. While seemingly single-handedly keeping Dallas in the game, No.77 recorded his 44th career triple-double, finishing with 33 points,  13 rebounds, and 15 assists. He also recorded his third dunk of the season, in superstar fashion.

“I think I made some good decisions in getting people involved,” said Doncic. “I think I’ve got to make these decisions more often. … I feel better (physically). That’s something I’m really proud of. I’ve just got to (keep getting) better. I feel more explosive and better.”

woooo Luka pic.twitter.com/e7TvLwOnlX

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 5, 2022

Reggie Bullock registered 20 points on 4-11 shooting from deep. It marked the fifth-straight game where Bullock has scored in double figures. He’s averaging 18.2 points during that five-game span while shooting 46.8 percent from three-point range.

Embiid caused havoc for the Mavs' short-handed defense all night. Living at the free-throw line, Embiid finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. 

Fans were anxious thanks to a 9 p.m. central start for a Mavs home game. Unfortunately, due to a crooked rim, NBA officials delayed the game for 44 minutes. Following the delay, the Mavs' offense seemed out of place, missing 10 consecutive shots. However, with Doncic in the game, there is always a chance of a comeback.  

The delay lasted so long that both the Mavs and Sixers' Twitter accounts played a game of tic-tac-toe.

The @sixers and @dallasmavs accounts played tic-tac-toe during the break 😂 pic.twitter.com/kWA8JzYTd7

— ESPN (@espn) February 5, 2022

Next up, Doncic and the Mavs will take on Trae Young and the red-hot Atlanta Hawks on Sunday for the final time this season. The first matchup was way back on opening night as the Hawks blew out the Mavs in Atlanta, 113-87. Dallas has been rumored as having an interest in Atlanta's John Collins for a few weeks now. Can the Mavs get a big win while also making some ground in trade talks?

Stay tuned to DallasBasketball.com for all Mavs game coverage and trade rumor updates.