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The Philadelphia 76ers will lock horns with the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center tonight, with the intent to build on their recent win against the OKC Thunder. The 76ers lead the Eastern Conference thanks to a 36-17 record, while the Mavericks are holding on to a playoff spot with a 29-23 record.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Dallas Mavericks Prediction
The Philadelphia 76ers have been ruthless on both ends of the floor in the 2020-21 campaign. Head coach Doc Rivers is likely to field a strong starting lineup despite Joel Embiid's absence, and the 76ers will be firm favorites to win this fixture even without him.
The Dallas Mavericks have improved in recent weeks, but they simply don't have the offensive firepower to deal with a strong 76ers defense.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Dallas Mavericks Combined 5
Point Guard - Luka Doncic | Shooting Guard - Seth Curry | Small Forward - Danny Green | Power Forward - Tobias Harris | Center- Kristaps Porzingis
In a speculative combined 5 of Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic makes the team over Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ben Simmons.
Both players have looked in superb touch this year. Still, Doncic's averages of 28.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 9 assists have allowed a very average Dallas Mavericks to be competitive, which gives him the edge over the Australian guard/forward.
Seth Curry starts at shooting guard at Josh Richardson's expense, who has been quite underwhelming this year. On the other hand, Curry's presence has completely transformed the Philadelphia 76ers. His 42.4% shooting average from downtown has provided head coach Doc Rivers with a lethal weapon on the perimeter.
The small forward spot is a toss-up between two role players - Dorian Finney-Smith and Danny Green. Both players have similar averages offensively, but Green has been a legitimate difference-maker on the defensive end.
Green's active hands and defensive awareness have been two major reasons behind the Philadelphia 76ers being a top-five defense this year.
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Tobias Harris is an easy choice for the power forward position, considering his competition here - Maxi Kleber - has put up pretty ordinary numbers in comparison to the former LA Clippers man.
Harris has tallied 20 points and 7 rebounds, bouncing back from a criticism-filled 2019-20 season, where the 76ers' decision to give him a multi-million dollar extension was questioned heavily.
Kristaps Porzingis is an easy choice for center, considering Joel Embiid will not feature tonight. Porzingis has blown hot and cold this season but has still managed to put up a respectable 20 points and 9 rebounds on 37% shooting from the deep.
These numbers automatically make him an apt choice for the combined 5, and it will be intriguing to see if he can take over the game against Philadelphia 76ers' backup center.
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