76ers-Mavericks Preview
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By SCOTT GARBARINI
Posted Feb 20 2016 4:38PM
The Dallas Mavericks let another game get away, and their grasp on a playoff
spot is slipping as well.
A tough recent stretch has increased the urgency of a season-high six-game
homestand the struggling Mavericks begin Sunday night against the
Philadelphia 76ers.
Though still in position to reach the postseason, Dallas (29-27) has had its
margin for error greatly reduced by losing five of six. The Mavericks own
just a one-game edge on two teams tied for eighth in the Western Conference,
Houston and charging Utah.
The Mavericks weren't playing especially well entering the All-Star break and
were sluggish coming out of it, falling behind by 21 points late in the first
quarter Friday in Orlando. They then tired late in losing 110-104 in their
third straight overtime game and league-high ninth this season.
Dallas overcame its early deficit behind a franchise-record 19 3-pointers but
couldn't hit shots down the stretch, going 7 of 24 in the fourth quarter and
overtime while being outscored 31-17 over the final 14 minutes of regulation.
"It's a long game and you've got outlast a team like this and we were unable
to do it," said Dallas coach Rick Carlisle. "Frankly the group we have is not
doing a good job finishing games."
Playing nine of their next 10 at American Airlines Center could help the
Mavericks get back on track, though they've lost their last three there.
Dallas hasn't dropped four straight at home since Dec. 20, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014.
The Mavericks don't seem to be in much danger of matching that skid
considering Philadelphia (8-46) is a league-worst 3-25 on the road and has
lost seven of eight overall. The 76ers did play Dallas tough Nov. 16,
however, leading by one with four minutes left before the Mavericks rallied
for a 92-86 win.
Philadelphia outscored the Mavericks 48-24 in the paint and appears to have
an advantage there with youngsters Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, coming off
a season-high 24 points in Friday's 121-114 loss at New Orleans. The Sixers'
45.1 points per game in the lane ranks fourth in the NBA.
Dallas has allowed opponents to convert 60.1 percent of their attempts at the
rim, among the NBA's worst marks, and has been outscored 196-110 in the paint
over its last four.
While the Mavericks have struggled to defend inside, they've been on target
from the outside. They're 45 of 108 on 3-pointers over their last three games
and shot 46.3 percent (19 of 41) against the Magic.
Chandler Parsons is 14 of 23 over that stretch and went 6 of 7 in a 24-point
effort against Orlando. Deron Williams finished 5 of 9 while scoring 25 and
is averaging 23.3 points over his last three.
The 76ers also have done well from the perimeter of late, making 27 of 62
attempts (43.5 percent) over their last two games. Robert Covington was 7 of
11 in recording a career-high 29 points in a 114-110 loss to Sacramento prior
to the break and Nik Stauskas has hit 7 of his last 11 tries.
Philadelphia, last in the league in scoring (95.5 ppg), shot 52.6 percent
overall against New Orleans but couldn't overcome a slow start of its own,
with the Pelicans building a 69-47 lead late in the first half.
"They jumped us," coach Brett Brown said. "We haven't played in nine days. It
felt like it, and looked like it."
The 76ers have lost six straight to the Mavericks and nine in a row in Dallas
since a 93-89 win Jan. 29, 2005.
簡單說明一些內容：
1.小牛輸掉一場可以贏的比賽(對魔術)，這也是自從2006年以來首次在奧蘭多
輸球。
2.儘管小牛過去六場比賽輸掉其中五場，但仍維持在季後賽名單內，只是領先
第八種子的火箭只有一場勝差而已......好消息是，未來十場有九場都是在
主場比賽，接下來六場都是在主場，其中只有雷霆勝率超過五成，唯一客場
則是在丹佛，這是小牛戰績可以往上提升的好機會。
3.小牛有著全聯盟最糟糕，讓對手在禁區的投籃命中率60%， 過去四場比賽禁
區得分更是196:110。不過小牛過去四場三分線還有著不差的45/108。
4.76人已經對戰六連敗，在達拉斯更是九連敗， 上次贏球是在2005以93:89獲
勝。
5.Harris已經進步到接近明天可以上場的的程度了，Carlisle這樣說，因為左
腳大拇指的關係，已經讓他錯過十場比賽，而這正是他2013年開刀的部位。
然而，另一個糟糕消息是，因為腳踝的關係，小胖明天未必會上。他是希望
可以上，但還是要看明天的感覺如何。
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