Scrimmage 3: Mavs vs. 76ers (118-115 OT win)

[ItsGoTime]

Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2020 • 8:30 PM ET

HP Field House • Orlando, FL

Local TV: FSSW-DAL, NBC SP

Radio: 103.3 ESPN

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Preview from Liberty Ballers:

Through two scrimmages in the Orlando bubble, the Sixers starters have looked dominant. Although opponents have made big comebacks in the second half of each game against end-of-the-bench units, even resulting in a loss to Oklahoma City, Philadelphia fans have to be feeling good about the team’s readiness for the team’s eight seeding games to begin this weekend. Before then, though, the Sixers have one final tune-up this evening against the Dallas Mavericks.

Entering the seeding games, the Mavericks sit in seventh place in the West, 1.5 games back of Oklahoma City and Houston. I’m sure they would love to move up and avoid a likely first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers. If they do have success in the eight seeding games, it will be on the back of young star Luka Doncic, who fortunately for Dallas, hasn’t looked to have missed a step in his return to action. In Sunday’s 118-111 loss to Indiana, Doncic nearly had a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists in just 24 minutes. He and former Sixer Boban Marjanovic also were the top bromance of early Bubble life, much to Tobi’s chagrin.

The rest of the Dallas roster is not quite as rosy. Having not played in a back-to-back since January due to knee soreness, it would have been important for Kristaps Porzingis to get into a rhythm in these exhibition games. However, he was forced to sit out the team’s last scrimmage against the Pacers after failing to report for a coronavirus test, triggering a one-day quarantine. The Mavericks are already shorthanded in the front court with Dwight Powell out with a torn achilles, and Willie Cauley-Stein opting out of participating in the Bubble.

Of course, the Sixers have an eye on the front court themselves, after Joel Embiid sat out the last scrimmage against the Thunder with a sore calf. Encouragingly, Embiid did practice with the team yesterday, so even if he does sit out tonight as a precautionary measure, it seems like he will be ready to retake the floor when the seeding games begin. We are also still awaiting status for tonight for reserves Glenn Robinson III (hip pointer) and Raul Neto (back soreness), who both practiced yesterday as well.

Through two scrimmages, Ben Simmons has been the best player on the floor, and Sixers fans just want to see him get through tonight healthy, with maybe another 3-point attempt or two. Filling in for Embiid with the starters Sunday, Al Horford looked good, shooting 4-of-5 from 3 and grabbing nine rebounds in 23 minutes. The Sixers are only going as far in the playoffs as a healthy Embiid permits, but it was a nice glimpse of how the Horford signing was originally envisioned — Al is the best possible fallback option on a short-term basis.

The youngsters have looked ready in their return to action. After a quiet scrimmage opener, Shake Milton drained three 3s on Sunday against Oklahoma City. Matisse Thybulle has continued to terrorize the opposition defensively and racked up a number of stocks. You can argue that the top pieces don’t fit together quite as well as the group that lost at the buzzer in Game 7 to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors, but I think the Sixers clearly have a deeper rotation entering the playoffs this year.

48 more minutes of exhibition play before we get back to basketball that counts. Let’s get through it with all calves and lower backs intact.

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/ESefko/status/1288176303208910849

[Hypermav]

I will even be happy to hear Harper tonight.

[Aussiebballer]

KP hitting his 3s tonight.
Not liking Luka looking to have strained a groin muscle.
Coach needs to take him out and get it checked, 21yr old isn't going to sub himself out.

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Philli looks confused half the time on offense and defense.
Can see an early playoffs exit and a new coach in their future.
Could also see them trading Simmons if he can't take and make some outside shots.

[dirkfansince1998]

Seems like Trey Burke does not want to play any more minutes this year. One long two after another. All bricks.

[Hypermav]

Could have played better but not bad for ballroom basketball.  Philly was so awful for a stretch.

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I see your Horford and raise you a Doncic,

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https://twitter.com/MikeLeslieWFAA/statu...79587?s=20

[aguiar95]

I'm starting to hate this small lineup (Doncic/Curry/THJ/DFS/KP). I know it's all we got, but for next season we should move DFS back to SF, where he can at least be decent (he is not strong enough to play PF) and find a starting Power Forward. Decent game overall. Lots of bizarre wide open misses (not even hitting iron), we got abused by Harris/Horford's post-ups in the second half. Doncic' offense was superb while KP's defense was good. Rockets smoked the C's reserves so I expect a really good game.

[Hypermav]

Minor miracle to be down a couple.

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Cleavland making the best of his time.

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JJB with the glorious 3 pt shot for the win, Dr. Fauci would be proud.

[omahen]

1. Good first half, but unfortunately again bad start of the second. Decent defense today
2. Kleber should start against big strong teams with strong PF. As others already noted, DFS is just too small/weak to defend those guys
3. Simmons is so overrated. Not near max player imho
4. Horford would be excellent on our team, he is exactly what we need. If Philly is looking to save some money, I am all for that Horford/Richardson deal

[ItsGoTime]

Mavs.com recap:

[b]If he had any doubters, Kristaps Porzingis didn’t waste any time silencing them on Tuesday night.[/b]

Busting out of the gate looking very focused and very determined, Porzingis tallied 13 straight points during one five-minute stretch in the first quarter and the Mavs went on to win a nip-and-tuck scrimmage against the Philadelphia 76ers, 118-115, in overtime at HP Field House under the bubble in Orlando. The victory helped the Mavs end scrimmage play with a 2-1 record.

Next up for the Mavs are the real games as they restart the 2019-’20 season on Friday night at 7 with a pivotal contest against the Houston Rockets.

Porzingis entered the game against the Sixers following a subpar eight-point, five-foul showing against the Los Angeles Lakers last Thursday. Then he mistakenly missed the NBA’s mandatory coronavirus test on Saturday, thus forcing him to automatically enter a 24-hour quarantine and sit out Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers.

With that as a backdrop, Porzingis came out and made the Sixers pay dearly as he completely took over this game. During one stretch, the five-year veteran personally outscored the Sixers, 13-3, while playing with the kind of confidence that earned him an All-Star berth in 2018 while he was playing for the New York Knicks.

“I wanted to come out aggressive and play with energy and give the team the energy, and that was it,” said Porzingis, who finished the night with 17 points and 12 boards. “Just keep it simple and play my game, and that’s it.

“And those things are going to happen.”

Because those things happened, the Mavs led 24-13 after the first quarter. With Porzingis netting a double-double – 14 points, 10 rebounds – in the first half, the Mavs were nursing a 48-39 lead at intermission.

“He had a real nice run during that stretch,” coach Rick Carlisle said in analyzing Porzingis’ first-quarter surge. “Look, I like the way he’s moving. You know, 17 and 12 is great.

“People don’t talk enough about his defense and what he does at that end of the floor protecting the rim and rebounding. He’s a great outlet passer.”

Despite the solid showing by the Mavs in the first half, they got outscored 41-26 in the third quarter and fell behind by 10 points in the fourth quarter before reserves J. J. Barea, Antonius Cleveland and Josh Reaves came off the bench and ignited a rally that ended scrimmage play for Dallas on a positive note. It was a 3-pointer by Barea which gave the Mavs a 116-113 lead with 1:06 remaining in overtime.

“I thought Cleveland and Reaves both played very, very well,” Carlisle said. “Reaves came off the game the other night (against Indiana) where he didn’t play well. He was a factor at both ends (Tuesday), he finished plays, he hit a big three.

“The group that finished the game did a great job finishing it off and finding a way to get the win.”

Carlisle was concerned about the third quarter when the Sixers dominated play and grabbed control of the game.

The last couple of games we haven’t done a good job,” he said in summing up his team’s play in the third quarter. “Teams have come out and roughed up us.

“A lot of positives. Again, the negative was coming out of the locker room (in the third quarter). We struggled and Philly picked it up on us, so we’ve got to do better than that.”

Luka Doncic led the Mavs with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Barea and Cleveland poured in 14 points each, and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 10 points and five boards. Carlisle also lauded the play of guard Trey Burke, who finished with nine points and three assists in 22 minutes.

“I really like Burke,” Carlisle said. “He’s a guy who just started practicing three days ago and he came in the game and he’s a factor.

“He puts pressure on the defense. Defensively he’s picked it up, he’s giving us full-court pressure and he’s causing problems out there, so he’s a guy that’s going to be able to help us.”

It was the pressure that Porzingis applied that most Mavs’ fans wanted to see and were delighted with the results.

“I think for a basketball player you have to play instinctly,” Porzingis said. “Whatever the situation you just make the decisions a split second and go with it and do it with 100 percent confidence.

“I just try to play instinctly and know that I put in the work and I have the skills and the confidence to just go out there and play free.”

Now it’s own to Friday’s showdown against the Rockets (40-24), who are in sixth place in the Western Conference standings and just a game-and-a-half ahead of the seven-seeded Mavs (40-27).

“We’re a talented team,” Porzingis said. “I think for us there’s a few learning lessons that we can take from this scrimmage also, and now it’s time for the real deal for the regular season games and then the playoffs. So our excitement level is going to go a few levels up now.

“I think we’re ready to go. We know we’re going to be able to do some things just because we can score the ball, and I think we’ve got to catch ourselves in those moments and just come out ready.”

[b]Twitter: @DwainPrice[/b]

[omahen]

First two seeding games will be a real test. First the unpredictable Houston, still fresh. Crucial game if we want to advance from 7th seed. Lose and we are 2,5 games behind Houston. Win, we are right there with them. At least one game where DFS shouldn't have a problem defending opposite PF. I guess day-day form will be the key as both teams rely on three pointers. Bobi should have a field day against the Houston Midgets.

Second game is against Phoenix who came with a mission and seems very focused. Thin bench, though. Not that ours is much better.

[ClutchDirk]

https://media.giphy.com/media/kBNkbBpS1f.../giphy.gif

[StepBackJay]

I missed this game, I am excited to catch up on DVR! Regarding Rick's comments on Reaves my observation the previous game was that he didn't play "well" overall necessarily bc his offense was a mess but man he is a dog defensively. Despite being only 6'4 he can guard much bigger players on defense. I like him as a prospect and I will be interested to see how he did against the 76ers.

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1. Good first half, but unfortunately again bad start of the second. Decent defense today
2. Kleber should start against big strong teams with strong PF. As others already noted, DFS is just too small/weak to defend those guys
3. Simmons is so overrated. Not near max player imho
4. Horford would be excellent on our team, he is exactly what we need. If Philly is looking to save some money, I am all for that Horford/Richardson deal

I think the Horford ship has sailed even tho I like what he would bring. I just don't think the MBT wants two bigs like that even tho Horford is a versatile player. The way Rick wants to run his team is similar to Houston's philosophy which wants a lot of space on offense. Again not to say Horford couldn't provide that to an extend but I don't think a player like Al who is a PF/C combo is what Rick wants in his system.

I agree that DFS isn't a great fit at PF, especially against larger lineups. I don't know why Maxi can't be subbed for DFS in those situations except that Rick likes Maxi to slide in KP's role off the bench.

The guy I come back to is Aaron Gordon who to me is a perfect fit that lets you play "small" but with a player that plays bigger than his size. RoCo was another guy I liked who could play PF but still provide defense. In my view, this would be the type of player Rick would want in his system, not a more traditional PF.

[omahen]

I think the Horford ship has sailed even tho I like what he would bring. I just don't think the MBT wants two bigs like that even tho Horford is a versatile player. The way Rick wants to run his team is similar to Houston's philosophy which wants a lot of space on offense. Again not to say Horford couldn't provide that to an extend but I don't think a player like Al who is a PF/C combo is what Rick wants in his system.

I agree that DFS isn't a great fit at PF, especially against larger lineups. I don't know why Maxi can't be subbed for DFS in those situations except that Rick likes Maxi to slide in KP's role off the bench.

The guy I come back to is Aaron Gordon who to me is a perfect fit that lets you play "small" but with a player that plays bigger than his size. RoCo was another guy I liked who could play PF but still provide defense. In my view, this would be the type of player Rick would want in his system, not a more traditional PF.

Horford is basically a better version of Kleber. Overpaid, but better. Great defensive player and much better offensively than Maxi. Bigger tha his stats are his experience and the fact he is a proven winner. I think this kind of productive veterans are crucial for that final push. However, I would only take him if Richardson is attached to him.

[michaeltex]

But I'm not sure how he would fit here. There is something not meshing with him and Embiid as the team is much better with Horford off the floor. He went wild for a while last night, but how much can he carry at 34?

Maxi is a known (and improving) 28 y/o asset and the Mavs are still building for long term rather than win-now. I'm not sure Horford going to be worth it moving forward.

[omahen]

But I'm not sure how he would fit here. There is something not meshing with him and Embiid as the team is much better with Horford off the floor. He went wild for a while last night, but how much can he carry at 34?

Maxi is a known (and improving) 28 y/o asset and the Mavs are still building for long term rather than win-now. I'm not sure Horford going to be worth it moving forward.

I didn't say I am trading Maxi for him :-) Although, if it would be necessary... Horford could be describe as the opposite of Porzingis. Offensively he can post up as seen yeasterday. He can also spread the floor if necessary. Defensively he is not so much of a rim defender as a PF. He can take the assignment of guarding stronger centers while still able to chase after small ball PF. Embiid is mostly post up center offensively so it gets crowded in the paint with non shooter Simmons and Horford around.

[fifteenth]

The deal is, with all this PF talk, you gotta have 4 guys who can cover wings. A big wing would be awesome, but not all PFs are big wings.

[DanSchwartzgan]

The deal is, with all this PF talk, you gotta have 4 guys who can cover wings.  A big wing would be awesome, but not all PFs are big wings.

And, they have to fit into the offense.  I use the term Power Wing because they probably need to have a bit more bulk to cover the L's (Lebron and Leonard).  Another argument for avoiding a pure PF/C type is we still have Powell and he will play.  The team was just fine with him starting.  Those days may be over, but he'll be given every chance to find his role again.

Ideally we need someone to push either DFS or Curry out of the starting lineup.  If Curry goes, you lose elite shooting and some playmaking.  If DFS goes you lose a guy who is hitting his 3's and takes on the other team's best offensive player night in and night out.  So, we either need a playmaking 4/3 with an outstanding 3 point shot.  Or, we need an all defensive team 4/3 who can hit their outside shot at a high clip.

BTW, I'm not sure we are ever going to have five starters we are all satisfied with.  I think the bench will have a big (Maxi) and a small (Brunson) and then some specialists who can take that fifth spot depending on how Dallas wants to match up with someone.  Powell (rim runner) and Curry (outside gunner) fit the bill.  Even Wright fits the roll of on-ball defender of guards (if only he fit the O better).  At the very least we need someone to take the Justin Jackson role at a much higher level.  That could be DFS if he was moved to the bench (I think it would take a pretty high level starter to do that).  Or, we may do PF by committee and just pay up for a bench 3/4.  I've mentioned Grant a lot.  He's multi-position, defends and hits 3's.  Josh Jackson isn't really a 4, but he could bring a ton to the bench.  DJJr would give us another athletic wing defender and marvel at the top of our zone.  Bazemore off our bench is also a fit.  Think in terms of KP/Luka/THJ being starters and Maxi and Brunson being bench guys and DFS/Curry/Wright and someone like the guys I named (Grant/Jackson/DJJ/Bazemore) being able to float between both worlds.

[omahen]

I think you are greatly underestimating the value experience and winning mentality brings, especially to the young team as Mavs. Guys like Horford can cruise through regular season and prove invaluable in play-offs. Look at the effect Paul has on OKC. I am sure he would have similarly valuable role here. 

Another argument for avoiding a pure PF/C type is we still have Powell

What if we include him in the deal? Something like:

Det: Powell, Z.Smith, #18, Phi pick(s)
Phi: Kennard, Rose, THJ
Dal: Horford, Richardson

[DanSchwartzgan]

I think you are greatly underestimating the value experience and winning mentality brings, especially to the young team as Mavs. Guys like Horford can cruise through regular season and prove invaluable in play-offs. Look at the effect Paul has on OKC. I am sure he would have similarly valuable role here. 

Another argument for avoiding a pure PF/C type is we still have Powell

What if we include him in the deal? Something like:

Det: Powell, Z.Smith, #18, Phi pick(s)
Phi: Kennard, Rose, THJ
Dal: Horford, Richardson

It seems to be a well balanced deal that addresses needs for all.  However, there are some issues that will be tough to overcome.  Prior to the new season (formerly 7/1) you would need Dallas to add some salary and THJ would have to opt-in before being traded.  It is hard to see a deal with multiple picks after the new season year as two teams would be required to draft on behalf of Detroit and cross their fingers that nothing happens (plus THJ would have to play along in an extend and trade or sign and trade).

Personally, I'd try to do a smaller version where Detroit is forced to take Wright in order to get #18 and Z. Smith.  Dallas gets Richardson and Philly gets Rose/Kennard.