Fresh off a 24-win end to the 2024-25 season, Tyrese Maxey said on the Philadelphia 76ers’ Media Day in September that they needed to set a standard of resilience and consistency.
The start of Philadelphia’s culture shift was clear early on, starting the 2025-26 campaign winning four consecutive games. But, the 76ers’ victory against the Dallas Mavericks confirmed that the team’s new standard is here to stay.
Philadelphia (16-11) handled Dallas (11-18) 121-114 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday night, marking its second win in 48 hours. The 76ers endured their fifth set of back-to-back games this weekend, beating the New York Knicks on Friday. But, their resilience helped them overcome this obstacle and they now hold the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference to show for it.
Injuries devastated the 76ers last year, with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George playing just 15 games together. Philadelphia struggled to fight through such adversity in the early stages of 2024-25 and dug itself a hole it couldn’t crawl out of, missing the postseason for the first time in seven years.
However, with the new standard that Maxey birthed, the 76ers have stared and laughed at the challenges that once defeated them. Embiid and George have each appeared in 11 contests, but Philadelphia remains five games above .500, with Maxey averaging 31.7 points per game – the third-best output in the NBA.
Embiid missed the 76ers’ games against the Knicks and Mavericks due to an illness and right knee injury management. Left knee injury management also sidelined George tonight, but the 76ers, suffering through the back-to-back fatigue, still prevailed.
Here are some key reasons as to how:
Philadelphia defeated New York using spirited efforts from Maxey and VJ Edgecombe and they picked up right where they left off tonight. Maxey registered 38 points on 58.8% true-shooting and four assists and Edgecombe posted 26 points, six rebounds and four assists. This marked the rookie’s fourth game eclipsing 20 points as he continues to re-climb the Rookie of the Year award ladder.
But, it was Dominick Barlow who turned the most heads, tying a career-high 21 points on 9-13 shooting from the field along with four rebounds and two steals. His ability to dive-cut, roll off screens and attack closeouts continued to shine, most impressively against a Dallas frontcourt that featured Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg and PJ Washington.
Jared McCain continued to re-establish his rhythm, tallying 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Although the guard shot 3-11 from the field, he has processed coverages better and found his spots off the dribble quicker. Philadelphia’s stringing together stops allowed its offense to play faster, letting its tandem of Maxey, Edgecombe and McCain to shine by forcing Dallas’ defense into rotation.