Tyrese Maxey’s 38, Dominick Barlow’s career-high powers Sixers in win over Mavs

[ad_1] The Philadelphia 76ers used a dominant 30-17 fourth quarter to tug away for a 121-114 win over the visiting Dallas Mavericks, who had gained six of their earlier eight video games previous to coming to the Xfinity Cellular Area.

The Sixers have been as soon as once more led by the Tyrese Maxey (38 factors, 4 assists) and VJ Edgecombe (26 factors, 6 rebounds, 4 assists), however have been aided by 21 factors from Dominick Barlow, who tied his earlier profession excessive.

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With the win, which is the Sixers’ sixth win of their final eight video games, the Sixers have now improved to 16-11 on the season.

Right here’s what I noticed.

Dominick Barlow’s profession evening attacking the rim

Two-way ahead Dominick Barlow has been a revelation within the early going, having been within the beginning lineup in 14 of the 17 video games he’s performed up to now this season.

However Barlow’s utility has largely come both on the glass, the place he’s been one of many Sixers’ extra energetic rebounders on each ends of the ground, and on protection, the place has mobility, size and flexibility has actually helped plug the holes on a Sixers staff that has been rising up the defensive leaderboards over the past month.

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For context, heading into the sport the Sixers gave up 3.4 fewer factors per 100 possessions with Barlow on the courtroom than when he’s been on the bench, and the Sixers have collected 72.1% of their defensive rebounding alternatives with him on the ground, in comparison with simply 68.8% when he’s on the bench.

However the offense for Barlow, whose 15.3 factors factors per 100 possessions ranks simply thirteenth on the squad, is often an afterthought.

Not tonight.

Barlow got here out and attacked the Mavs off the dribble at seemingly each alternative. He was aggressive taking Klay Thompson off the dribble when he had the possibility, which definitely helped. However for probably the most half Dallas has sufficient measurement, athleticism, and weakside assist that they need to be capable to restrict a non-shooter like Barlow. As a substitute, the Mavs uncontrolled time and time once more once they closed out on the perimeter, and as soon as Barlow acquired in a rhythm he used that tendency to create loads of alternatives for himself on the rim.

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When all was stated and performed, Barlow completed with 21 factors, 4 rebounds, two assists and two steals, which is (by far) probably the most he’s scored in a Sixers’ uniform (his earlier excessive was the 13 he scored on opening evening), and tied his total profession excessive, which was set again when he performed for the Spurs within the 2022-23 season.

Barlow’s explosion was massive for a lot of causes. First, with Joel Embiid, Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr out of the lineup, they wanted manufacturing from unlikely locations. However Barlow being a lot of an offensive menace tonight made it simple for head coach Nick Nurse to maintain him on the ground as a lot as attainable. With how a lot measurement Dallas has on the wings, that allowed his protection to actually shine.

VJ Max units the usual againThrough most of this season, we've got been remarking how constant VJ Edgecombe’s capturing, one in all his query marks coming into the draft, has been. Heading into the sport Edgecombe was capturing 39.3% from 3-point vary.

However most of that harm has come capturing off the catch. In truth, via December thirteenth, Edgecombe was capturing simply 6-25 on 3-point pictures off the dribble, and simply 19-69 on dribble jumpers total. It’s been an actual weak spot in his sport in the course of the early elements of his NBA profession.

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However that has began to show round over the previous couple of video games. He hit a pull-up 3 in opposition to the Knicks, and hit a two tonight in opposition to the Mavs, together with a tricky, heavily-contested three off a display screen within the first quarter that resulted in a 4 level play.

Clearly, no one is anticipating Edgecombe to show into Tyrese Maxey in a single day, however the truth that he even was on the lookout for that three coming off the display screen is indicative of all of the work that he’s been placing into the shot, and the way a lot confidence he’s gained in consequence. As I discussed within the recap final evening, for pretty much as good as VJ Edgecombe is correct now, he does so many issues that you simply have a look at and are tantalized over what this Edgecombe/Maxey pairing may do in a couple of 12 months’s time.

That twin timeline — Edgecombe being a considerably optimistic contributor now, and seemingly simply scratching the floor of his potential — is such a luxurious for a staff just like the Sixers. Sure, Maxey is enjoying at an All-NBA stage and also you wish to do every little thing you may to present him an opportunity to compete proper now. However he’s additionally simply 25, and there’s sufficient runway for the Sixers’ backcourt of the longer term to develop and develop alongside of one another.

Edgecombe was terrific but once more on this one, ending with 26 factors on 10-21 capturing, together with six rebounds and 4 assists. He’s now averaging 24.3 factors, 4.8 rebounds and three.8 assists over his final 4 video games, a stage of consistency, and two-way affect, that arguably exceed his thrilling begin to the season.

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I’m including Tyrese Maxey into this part as properly, as he completed with a game-high 38 factors on 15-31 capturing. He drilled nook 3s in transition, hit the lengthy pull-up bombs that we’ve turn into accustomed to, and used his velocity to get all the best way to the cup in opposition to a tricky inside protection. I’m yada-yadaing his efficiency once more, and I really feel responsible about it, but it surely reveals how ridiculously a lot he’s improved given he can drop 38 and we’re simply now kinda used to it.

Swap-up for the facilities

For a lot of the primary 26 video games of the season, younger massive man Adem Bona has been disappointing. In the meantime, Andre Drummond, who was borderline unplayable final 12 months, has been a revelation. With the toe damage gone, with him clearly getting in higher form within the offseason, and with Bona’s disappointment, Drummond has seized that backup middle spot.

That dynamic was inverted tonight, with Bona’s exercise and athleticism giving the Sixers a carry in opposition to a Dallas squad with good positional measurement and athleticism, however with out a lot of a menace to pull-up off the dribble. Bona was capable of rotate over and alter pictures that Drummod simply couldn’t get to, and Dallas didn’t have the electrical guards to make him pay for his miscues.

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Bona wasn’t good. He nonetheless missed some passes that he ought to have come down with, and whereas the six offensive rebounds helped the Sixers acquire second likelihood factors, his defensive rebounding continues to be an issue. Nonetheless, he altered pictures, matched Dallas’ athleticism and gave the Sixers a vertical presence as a lob menace, even when he didn’t essentially convert all of the alternatives.

As nice as Drummond has been, the Sixers may actually use Bona to start out enjoying higher. That’s true not solely as a result of Joel Embiid will clearly proceed to overlook video games right here and there, making the Sixers’ third string middle extra essential than most staff’s. However additionally they really want a long-term backup middle to emerge, and at 32 and on the ultimate 12 months of his contract, that’s unlikely to be Drummond.