‘We Just Didn’t Capitalize’: Philadelphia 76ers Pull Away Late As Dallas Mavericks Fall On New Year’s Day

Grant AfsethJanuary 1, 2026January 1, 2026

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, NBA

Photo by Nick White/DallasHoopsJournal.com

What began as one of the Dallas Mavericks’ most efficient openings of the season unraveled into another reminder of their current margin for error, as the Philadelphia 76ers leveraged elite shot creation and late-game execution to secure a 123–108 victory Thursday night at American Airlines Center.

Dallas shot 65.2% in the first quarter (15-of-23) and briefly controlled tempo, but Philadelphia steadily flipped the game with defensive pressure, transition scoring, and a decisive fourth-quarter surge led by Tyrese Maxey. The loss marked the Mavericks’ fourth straight and completed a two-game season sweep by the 76ers.

Maxey finished with 34 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, repeatedly collapsing Dallas’ defense and dictating late-game matchups. Joel Embiid added 22 points and six assists, while rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting in his first professional game in Texas. Former Maverick Quentin Grimes delivered the knockout stretch, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks while shooting 5-of-7 from three-point range.

Dallas Mavericks’ First-Quarter Execution Sets Early Tone

Dallas opened the game with sharp execution on both ends, attacking early mismatches and keeping Philadelphia from setting its defense. The Mavericks went 15-of-23 from the field in the opening quarter, consistently generating paint touches through ball movement and early actions.

Anthony Davis, returning after missing two games with a right groin/adductor strain, anchored the interior on both ends during the opening stretch. Cooper Flagg played with early aggression, facilitating offense while mixing in drives and finishes.

Dallas closed the quarter on a 9–3 run to take a 33–27 lead, forcing Philadelphia into contested jumpers and winning the early rebounding battle.

Second-Quarter Collapse Swings Momentum

That rhythm disappeared quickly.

Dallas missed eight of its first nine shots in the second quarter, including multiple clean looks at the rim and early-clock jumpers. Philadelphia immediately punished the drought, igniting a 17–2 run built on defensive stops and transition opportunities.

A dunk by Paul George capped the surge and gave the 76ers a 44–37 lead, forcing Dallas to chase the game for the remainder of the night.

Head coach Jason Kidd pointed to that stretch as the moment the game tilted.

“I thought their turnover was in the second, and us not shooting the ball straight,” Kidd said. “They took advantage there.”

Despite the scoring drought, Kidd emphasized that Dallas’ shot quality did not collapse with the results.

“I thought we got looks,” Kidd said. “I thought Hardy gave us a spark. He came in and took some great looks at three and made one of them. We were driving the ball. The team got to the paint tonight. We just didn’t capitalize on that.”

Philadelphia carried a 68–57 halftime lead behind Tyrese Maxey’s 16 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, setting the tone for a night in which the 76ers shot 53.3% from the field overall and repeatedly forced Dallas into late-clock situations.

Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes Close The Door

Philadelphia extended the lead to as many as 13 early in the third quarter, stretching Dallas’ defense with spacing and secondary actions. The Mavericks, however, refused to let the game fully slip away.

Bench production — particularly from Max Christie and Brandon Williams — helped stabilize the offense, while Dallas continued to win interior battles. The Mavericks ultimately outscored Philadelphia 64–58 in points in the paint for the game and held a 45–25 edge in bench points, indicators that the contest remained competitive despite perimeter struggles.

Still, the inability to string together defensive stops prevented Dallas from fully closing the gap.

Dallas finally applied pressure early in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 98–94 and briefly shifting momentum inside the arena.

The response was immediate and decisive.

Grimes sparked the sequence with a steal and dunk, then knocked down three three-pointers as Philadelphia stretched the lead back to double digits. Maxey repeatedly collapsed the defense, either finishing himself or drawing multiple defenders to create clean perimeter looks.

Kidd pointed directly to Maxey’s dominance as the reason the Mavericks could not sustain the comeback.

“That was Maxey creating those shots,” Kidd said. “When you have someone that dynamic, you’re going to have to give up something. Grimes benefits from that. With Maxey handling the ball, his speed, his ability to score, you pay attention to him. He makes you pay and finds shooters.”

Maxey’s control extended beyond shot-making, as he consistently forced Dallas into rotation decisions late in the clock.

“He’s an All-Star,” Kidd said. “He’s one of the young, upcoming players in this league. I’ve always said this about him — he’s always added something to his game. He’s figured out how to score 30. He uses his teammates well, and he’s playing extremely well for them right now.”

Anthony Davis Returns as Dallas Manages Cooper Flagg’s Workload

Davis finished with 13 points and eight rebounds in 37 minutes, shooting 6-of-13 from the field. While his defensive presence altered shots and drew attention in the paint, his offensive usage remained measured.

“First game back, I thought he was good,” Kidd said. “He only took six shots and made three.”

Kidd acknowledged that Dallas needs more assertiveness from Davis as the offense searches for balance.

“We would like for him to take more shots,” Kidd said. “I think he turned down a couple. Sometimes when you’re not shooting the ball straight, you start to overthink things.”

Flagg recorded 12 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, continuing to log heavy minutes as one of the Mavericks’ most relied-upon two-way players. Efficiency fluctuated, but his playmaking remained central to Dallas’ offensive flow.

“I think he’s playing extremely well,” Kidd said. “He’s probably a little tired. He’s played a lot of minutes — probably the most minutes he’s played in his career, more than he did in college. You look at the physicality. I thought he found open teammates tonight, but you’ve got to knock them down.”

The Numbers That Defined The Loss

Dallas finished 6-of-28 from three-point range (21.4%), while Philadelphia connected on 13-of-36 from deep (36.1%). The Mavericks went 18-of-20 at the free-throw line (90.0%), matching their season-high efficiency at the stripe, but the perimeter disparity — coupled with Philadelphia’s late execution — proved decisive.

Max Christie led Dallas with 18 points, while Brandon Williams added 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. The Mavericks also outscored Philadelphia in second-chance points and points in the paint, underscoring how narrow the margins were.

The Mavericks will look to reset Saturday when they host the Houston Rockets, seeking to halt a four-game skid and translate process into results.

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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‘We Just Didn’t Capitalize’: Philadelphia 76ers Pull Away Late As Dallas Mavericks Fall On New Year’s Day