NBA: Mavericks send short-handed Sixers reeling with 10th straight loss

PHILADELPHIA -- Forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points on Friday night (Saturday, PHL time) as the Dallas Mavericks rolled past the depleted Philadelphia 76ers 124-112, handing the Sixers their 10th straight loss.

#MavsWin, Mavs defeat the @Sixers 124-112, Dirk w/25 pts & Matrix’s 22. Complete box here: http://t.co/Y6cM2Xq0sT pic.twitter.com/nDZ6QAqSdg

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) February 22, 2014

 

Forward Shawn Marion added 22 points for Dallas (33-23), which shot a season-high 62.3 percent from the floor to win for the seventh time in nine games.

 

Marion made 11 of his 14 shots from the field and Nowitzki was 9 of 12, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range. The five 3-pointers equaled his season high.

 

Center-forward DeJuan Blair notched 18 points off the Dallas bench, matching his season high.

 

Forward Thaddeus Young equaled his season best of 30 points for Philadelphia (15-41), which is amid its longest losing streak since a 12-game skid during the 2009-10 season. Young also had 13 rebounds, seven assists and six steals.

 

Guard Michael Carter-Williams had 25 points for the Sixers and reserve guard Tony Wroten scored 21.

 

The Sixers, who made five deals at Thursday's trade deadline, had nine players in uniform but used only eight. Coach Brett Brown elected to hold out newly acquired guard Eric Maynor while he familiarizes himself with the team's system.

 

Philadelphia trailed by 22 points in the first quarter but crept within four at 77-73 on a follow shot by forward Arnett Moultrie with 7:35 left in the third quarter. Dallas pushed its lead to 12 by the end of the quarter, however, as Nowitzki nailed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

 

Philaddelphia drew no closer than 10 in the fourth quarter.

 

Nowitzki scored 12 points as Dallas opened a 37-15 lead with 1:24 left in the first quarter, but some sloppy play on the part of the Mavericks -- they committed 17 of their 23 turnovers in the first half -- triggered the Sixers' fast break in the second quarter, enabling them to cut the gap.

 

A three-point play by guard Elliot Williams with 3:48 left in the half brought Philadelphia within five at 55-50, and at halftime the Mavericks' lead was 69-62.

 

Nowitzki, who made his first six shots from the field (including three 3-pointers), was 7 of 8 from the floor while scoring 19 first-half points. Guard Monta Ellis added all 11 of his points and Blair had 10.

 

Young accumulated 15 points, seven rebounds and six steals in the first half for Philadelphia. - Reuters