'Better Than Advertised': Max Christie Makes Promising Mavericks Debut in Loss Against 76ers

Max Christie impresses in his Dallas Mavericks debut despite a close 118-116 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Photo: Dallas Mavericks

PHILADELPHIA — The Dallas Mavericks (26-25), continuing a new chapter without Luka Dončić, showed resilience and potential in a tightly contested 118-116 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers (20-29) at Wells Fargo Center.

In the aftermath of the blockbuster trade that reshaped the Mavericks' roster, all eyes were on Max Christie, the young guard acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers. Christie, who averaged 8.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists with the Lakers before the trade, immediately proved his worth. Christie scored 15 points, shooting a perfect 4 of 4 from beyond the arc, grabbed nine rebounds, and added defensive prowess, showcasing his ability to quickly adapt to his new team's system.

"Christie was great. With 30 minutes on the floor and no practice, he was better than advertised,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Christie. “He showed his skills as a basketball player on both sides of the floor for us tonight."

Christie reflected on his debut, noting the mix of emotions and his focus on adapting to his new team. He and Davis joined up with the team in Philadelphia after stopping in Dallas to go through the formal process to finalize the trade, but hadn’t practiced.

"It's definitely a mix of emotions. I'm still learning some of the sets and getting to know the team's dynamics, but I had fun out there," Christie said. "Despite not winning, it was good to get that first game under my belt."

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