The Sixers are literally at home stretching before the All-Star break.
With their record in the second half released Wednesday, the 21-11 Sixers will begin a four-game homestand on Thursday night against the Mavericks.
Here are the essentials:
- When: 7f ET
- Where: Wells Fargo Center
- Broadcast: TNT
And here are three stories to watch:
Injury news
Seth Curry is listed as most likely with a left ankle pain. He was given the same assignment during Tuesday but was denied about an hour before he was shut down in Tampa Bay. Furkan Korkmaz started in his place and reminded everyone that he was able to score in spurts with 16 points in the first quarter. The 23-year-old finished with 19 points on a 5-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists, playing 28 minutes in the Sixers ’win over the Raptors.
The Maapss Kristaps Porzingis are skeptical due to the tightness of the back, and appear to be Maxi Kleber (left ankle sprain). Dallas defeated the Celtics on Tuesday without Kleber and Porzingis, thanks in large part to 31 points from Luka Doncic, including a two-pointer, three points a step back within the final 20 seconds the game. Villanova Jalen Brunson’s result was 22 points off the bench.
Formula to win at Wells Fargo Center?
The Mavs are one of only four winning teams in Philadelphia since the start of the 2019-20 season. They did so comfortably on Dec. 20, 2019, playing a zone defense that intimidated the Sixers and earning 19 points in the first quarter from Tim Hardaway Jr.
There would certainly be no more zone than Thursday night ‘s surprise in an attempt to neutralize Ben Simmons’ s nesting and Joel Embiid’ s low-level leadership in 1-on-1 conditions. While the Sixers had a bad night Tuesday from inside the arc and promising 18 turns, they took 38 three points, their second-highest figure of the season, and made 17.
Laying three openers again could be the key against Dallas, and head coach Doc Rivers seems to have no recollection of an extended chance to tweak a Sixers zone offense.
Richardson returned
Josh Richardson will play his first game against the Sixers since last night’s trade that sent him to Dallas and brought Curry to Philadelphia. It didn’t work out with Doncic as well as the Mavericks would have hoped so far, with his three-point shot and helping average take another dip.
However, Simmons, Embiid and Tobias Harris know from experience that Richardson can be embarrassed to play against him, and that he is capable of offensive floristry. They’ll be a lot more cautious about Doncic, however, who only made 8 of 31 attempted field goals in two career games against the Sixers. With a quarter average of 28.9 points, 9.2 assists and 8.6 rebounds, his MVP stock would be much higher if Dallas were not the ninth seed in the Western Conference at 15-15.