Philadelphia 76ers vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction: Will the Texans be able to pick up an important win?

Philadelphia and Dallas have each suffered 4 losses in their last 5 games, and the teams are not in the best mood for a head-to-head encounter. For the Mavericks, the current crisis is especially tangible, as the team has not even made the playoffs yet. Will the Texans be able to pick up an important win?

Joel Embiid recently led the race for the league's most valuable player, but a bad stretch of play has markedly reduced his chances. In addition, Embiid missed a faceoff with his main rival, Nikola Jokic. Nevertheless, the Sixers remain in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference and are unlikely to let Cleveland catch up.

Tyrese Maxey has been looking very steady of late, scoring 20+ points in 6 straight games. Maxey is under additional pressure due to James Harden's injury, and it's not certain that Philadelphia's primary playmaker will be back in action for the game against Dallas. Right now, Harden's participation is questionable. It's the same situation with Embiid, and it's good that at least the role-players are okay with their health.

The team lost to Denver 111:116. Tyrese Maxey was again the most productive player on the team, with 29 points. Paul Reed made all 7 of his shots from the field, and Jalen McDaniels and Tobias Harris also looked good. De'Anthony Melton failed in another game. He made only 3 of 12 shots in the game. P.J. Tucker had the worst efficiency rating and could not add any points.

The Mavericks began to lose even the league's reckless underdogs like Charlotte, and right now, the fans risk not seeing Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in the playoffs. Dallas is only in 11th place in the Western Conference and doesn't have the easiest calendar ahead of it. The team will face playoff contenders Philadelphia, Miami, and Atlanta on the road. Irving's slump has been a big reason for Dallas' failure, but poor defensive play is also reflected in the results. The coach has to keep Christian Wood, who is playing at a near-stellar level, on the bench, and even so, their problems aren't going anywhere.

The Texans snapped a four-game losing streak in a recent game against Indiana (127:104). The club's leaders didn't have to work hard: Irving and Doncic combined for only 41 points. Jaden Hardy impressed once again: he made 8 of 12 shots from the field in 24 minutes. By the way, Irving did an excellent job on defense: he had two steals and three blocked shots. All of the Pacers' strongest players played against the Pacers, but now Maxi Kleber and Frank Ntilikina could end up on the bench due to health concerns.

The Philadelphia team is noticeably weakened because of the injuries of Embiid and Harden, but even so, the team looked good on offense. If one of the club's biggest stars returns, the offense will improve. Dallas has a very high offensive potential and only grows with each passing day. Hardy is progressing, as well as Hardaway Jr. is back from injury. If Kleber is out, Wood, who looks more promising offensively, will get more playing minutes. In their last head-to-head meeting, the teams combined for over 250 points, and now it's only logical to expect a high-scoring performance.