PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points and VJ Edgecombe added 26 to lift the Philadelphia 76ers to a 121-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The 76ers, playing without stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, used a 38-point first quarter to build a lead and held off a Mavericks rally. Philadelphia shot just 43.1% from the floor but made 12 3-pointers and forced 18 Dallas turnovers. Naji Marshall led Dallas with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Anthony Davis added 24 points and 14 rebounds. The 76ers have won six of their last eight games. Dallas fell to 11-18.

PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points and the Philadelphia 76ers used a dominant first quarter and a decisive late run to hold off the Dallas Mavericks 121-114 on Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. In a game defined by contrasting styles, the 76ers leveraged a 20-rebound advantage on the offensive glass and forced 18 Dallas turnovers to overcome a subpar shooting night. Philadelphia shot just 43.1% from the field but attempted 19 more shots than the Mavericks, who were efficient from two-point range but anemic from beyond the arc. The most important part of the game was Philadelphia’s explosive start and their response to Dallas’s second-half surge. The 76ers opened the game on a 22-5 run, capitalizing on a flurry of early Mavericks turnovers. Dallas committed five turnovers in the first five minutes, leading to easy Philadelphia transition opportunities. Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe was instrumental in the early blitz, scoring 10 points during the run, which was capped by a Tyrese Maxey pull-up jumper that gave the 76ers a 17-point lead. Dallas, led by Anthony Davis and Naji Marshall, chipped away throughout the second and third quarters. The Mavericks outscored Philadelphia 35-23 in the third period, shooting 65% from the field to erase what was once a 15-point deficit. A driving dunk by Cooper Flagg with 6:26 left in the third gave Dallas its first lead since the opening minute at 74-73, completing a remarkable turnaround. The game remained tight until the final seven minutes. With Dallas trailing 108-106, the Mavericks’ offense stalled amid a series of critical mistakes. A bad pass turnover by Brandon Williams was followed by an offensive foul on Anthony Davis, which was upheld on a coach’s challenge. Philadelphia seized the opportunity, as Maxey drilled a 27-foot 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to ignite a 7-0 run. Maxey scored five points during the spurt, which was punctuated by a VJ Edgecombe driving layup that pushed the 76ers’ lead to 115-106 with 5:52 remaining. Dallas never got closer than five points the rest of the way. Maxey, the hometown product from Dallas, Texas, was the catalyst for Philadelphia, adding four assists. Edgecombe finished with 26 points, six rebounds and four assists. Dominick Barlow provided 21 points off the bench, and the center tandem of Adem Bona and Andre Drummond combined for 16 points and 20 rebounds, with Drummond contributing 12 boards and three assists. For Dallas, Naji Marshall posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Anthony Davis added 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Cooper Flagg scored 24. The Mavericks shot a stellar 54.2% on two-point field goals but were crippled by a 3-for-18 performance from 3-point range. Their five total assists underscored an offense that struggled with ball movement against Philadelphia’s active defense. The 76ers improved to 16-11 with the victory, while the Mavericks fell to 11-18. The teams are scheduled to meet again in Dallas on Jan. 1. Philadelphia dominated the possession battle, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds to Dallas’s eight and committing only eight turnovers. The 76ers’ offensive rating of 117.1 points per 100 possessions edged out Dallas’s 110.2, illustrating their ability to generate more scoring chances despite lower efficiency. The game drew a crowd of 19,056 and finished under the betting total of 228.5 points. Philadelphia entered as a 2-point favorite, with statistical models giving them a 62% probability to win.

Preview: Mavericks-76ers Clash Features Rising Star Flagg Against Veteran George PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — A matchup of contrasting trajectories and star power headlines the NBA slate Saturday when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Mavericks (11-17) arrive having won four of their last six, including a 116-114 victory over Detroit on Thursday. Their recent surge has been fueled by sensational rookie forward Cooper Flagg, who is averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists over his last 10 games. Flagg is coming off a 23-point, 10-rebound, three-block performance against the Pistons and a 42-point outburst in a loss to Utah on Monday. “He’s playing with incredible confidence,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of Flagg after the Detroit win. “He impacts the game on both ends.” Dallas will need another major contribution from Flagg and co-star Anthony Davis to counter a Philadelphia squad sitting at 14-11. The 76ers have dropped two straight, most recently a 120-117 defeat in Atlanta on Dec. 14 where Paul George scored 35 points. George, the veteran All-Star forward, has been a consistent force, averaging 18.6 points per game. He forms a potent core with center Joel Embiid (22 points, 14 rebounds in the Atlanta loss) and rookie guard VJ Edgecombe. While the Mavericks have struggled overall, their offense has found a rhythm, scoring 119 or more points in five of their last seven games. Philadelphia’s defense, which allowed 142 points to Atlanta in a Nov. 30 loss, will be tested. The game is the first of a home-and-home set between the teams, who will meet again in Dallas on New Year’s Day. For the Mavericks, it opens a challenging five-game road trip. For the 76ers, it’s a chance to stabilize before a four-game road swing of their own starting next week. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. EST Saturday.