Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers 3/18/22: Starting Lineups, Betting Odds, Predictions

Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers Matchup Preview (3/18/22)

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks (43-26) face off against the Philadelphia 76ers (42-26) Friday night. The Mavericks are now tied with the 4th seed Utah Jazz and are only 3.5 games back of the 3rd seed Golden State Warriors. They are 8-2 since the All-Star break with the 18th Offensive Rating and 12th Defensive Rating. The Mavericks have produced in the clutch, as four of those wins were by six points or less. They are coming off a 113-111 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Spencer Dinwiddie hit a buzzer beater three-point shot to beat his former team. He finished with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Luka Doncic was his usual excellent self at 37 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists on 14/26 from the field and 5/12 from three. Jalen Brunson chipped in 18 points and 3 assists on 8/15 shooting. The Nets had great performances from Goran Dragic (21 points) and Andre Drummond (14 points, 17 rebounds). Kevin Durant only scored 23 points, but he added 6 rebounds and 10 assists. The Mavericks will be without Reggie Bullock against the 76ers, and Marquese Chriss is a game time decision. 

The 76ers are 3rd in the East and only one game behind 2nd seed Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics, however, are only one game back of the 76ers and are climbing rapidly. Since James Harden’s debut, the 76ers are 7-3 with the 12th Offensive Rating and 13th Defensive Rating. They just narrowly defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-118 after almost blowing a 13-point halftime lead. The 76ers had a dreadful 3rd quarter where they were outplayed 31-13; however, they won the 4th quarter 33-24 subsequently the game. Joel Embiid took advantage of Jarrett Allen’s absence to the tune of 35 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 assists on 13/19 from the field. James Harden had 21 points and 11 assists, while Tyrese Maxey scored 25 points on 9/15 shooting. The Cavaliers had a solid effort from Darius Garland – 22 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists. Rookie Evan Mobley contributed 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists, yet he could not keep Embiid off the boards. Embiid is a game time decision because of back soreness . He played through it against the Cavaliers though, so it’s likely he suits up against the Mavericks. 

Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers Betting Odds

The Mavericks defeated the 76ers 107-98 on February 4th in their only previous season matchup. The 76ers were up 13 points at halftime, but the Mavericks stormed back. Luka Doncic posted a monster triple-double – 33 points, 13 rebounds, and 15 assists – and paced the Mavericks in scoring. Joel Embiid produced 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 assists for the 76ers. There have been changes made to each team since that matchup though; the 76ers acquired James Harden and the Mavericks acquired Spencer Dinwiddie. I like the Mavericks to win this game and upset the favored 76ers. They are playing excellent basketball, and their defense is legit. Luka will at least match Embiid’s influence, and Harden has severely struggled recently.

TV Schedule

Date: 3/18/22
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Arena: Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA
Channel: NBA League Pass

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Dallas Mavericks Starting Lineup

PG: Luka Doncic
SG: Jalen Brunson
SF: Spencer Dinwiddie
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith
C: Dwight Powell

Dallas Mavericks Analysis

Reggie Bullock has been out of the lineup the past two games, and the Mavericks filled this hole by starting trade deadline addition Spencer Dinwiddie. The starting lineup now features three guards who can score off the dribble – Doncic, Brunson, and Dinwiddie. It reminds me of the Thunder when they started Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Dennis Schroder. The Thunder had success with that lineup, and the Mavericks look dangerous with this three-guard lineup. It’s exceedingly difficult to shut down the Mavericks offense when three players can bail out a broken play through isolation scoring. The Luka-Dwight Powell pick and roll is even deadlier now that Luka can pass to Dinwiddie or Brunson and watch them create their own offense. Broken plays will be far less detrimental since a new play can be started just like that. The transition offense also becomes deadlier, and the 76ers have struggled to stop opponents in transition. 

The X factor for the Mavericks is Dwight Powell. He’s been one of the most efficient cutters in the NBA and excels at rolling to the basket. Because defenses are always focused on Doncic, it leaves opportunities for Powell to pressure the rim without optimal defensive attention hounding him. If he gets rolling on offense, the 76ers will be helpless and at Doncic’s mercy. Defensively, Powell has the undesirable task of guarding MVP-candidate Joel Embiid, who just dropped 35 and 17. In their game on February 4th, Powell contained Embiid to 27 points and 13 rebounds. I know that sounds crazy, but holding Embiid to 27 is a win and all the Mavericks can ask for. Embiid is 2” taller than Powell, but Powell is quicker and able to stay in front of Embiid by shuffling his feet. Powell has defended the post up and pick and roll well this season, which is an encouraging sign for the Mavericks. 

Philadelphia 76ers Starting Lineup

PG: James Harden
SG: Tyrese Maxey
SF: Matisse Thybulle
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers Analysis

The 76ers will always get production from Joel Embiid and James Harden. The difference between them being good and being great is the contributions from their 3rd and 4th best players. Tyrese Maxey is an interesting piece because he can impact the game both on-ball and off-ball. His hesitation dribble allows him to drive past defenders where he uses his long arms to extend for the layup. When Harden is running the show, Maxey can space the floor and drain threes (41.2 3PT%). Since Harden debuted, the 76ers are 6-2 when he scores 17+ points and 1-1 when he doesn’t. Jalen Brunson likely guards Maxey because of their similar sizes. Brunson is the weak link in the Mavericks defensive chain; he gets caught on screens and opponents can shoot over him. The 76ers should use Maxey off of screens this game and utilize his lethal shooting stroke. They barely do this, but experimenting with this idea would potentially open up their offense. Maxey has been one of the most efficient catch and shoot players in the NBA, so it makes sense to delve into hitting him off screens. 

Tobias Harris has been forgotten about since the Harden trade, but he is averaging 17.9 PPG on a 48/36/84 shooting split. He’s mainly used as a spot up shooter waiting in the corner. However, Harris is an underrated ball handler who produces 1.07 Points Per Possession as the pick and roll ball handler. This mark is in the 92nd percentile, and it’s on decent volume too. Should the 76ers deploy him as a main playmaker? No, that is reserved for Harden and Maxey. However, I think getting Harris more involved in the offense would get him into rhythm and diversify their attack. This might not be the matchup to explore this though, as Dorian Finney-Smith is a tough defender. Overall, the 76ers have an abundance of offensive options and can change their identity at a moment’s notice. 

Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers Daily Fantasy Picks

Luka and Embiid are must-plays here. They control the offense and dominate the available touches. They are actually the top two players in the NBA for usage%. Spencer Dinwiddie’s arrival has removed some of Doncic’s control, but he still stuffs the box score every game. I think Dwight Powell is a solid defender, yet nobody can stop Embiid. Look for Luka to record a 35-point triple-double and Embiid to produce a double-double of 34 points and 14 rebounds. A cheaper option here is Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson. I think Matisse Thybulle will hound Dinwiddie, so Brunson has the easier matchup. Maxey has struggled all season to defend quick guards who can create off the dribble, which is the definition of Brunson. I expect Brunson to hit 18+ points here with a few rebounds and assists.