The Mavericks (7-4) held on to defeat the 76ers (0-11) 92-86 at Wells Fargo Center on Monday.
The 76ers gave the Mavericks a bit of a scare, but ultimately were unable to capture their first win of the season. Dirk Nowitzki scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a handful of clutch free throws along with Deron Williams to ice the game. Philadelphia had the advantage on the glass, outrebounding the Mavericks 46-39, but too many turnovers led to the 76ers demise.
Chandler Parsons has been working his way back from a surgically-repaired knee, but has seen his minutes slowly increase. He scored a season-high 20 points in a season-high 21 minutes and took over the game early in the first half. Dallas really needs Parsons to get things going and this was certainly a step in the right direction. The Mavericks struggled from the field, shooting a lowly 39.5 percent, with Nowitzki, Williams and Wesley Matthews all having off nights shooting the basketball. Regardless, the win propelled Dallas into third place in the Western Conference.
It's beginning to look like the season is lost for the 76ers, but they still have Jahlil Okafor to look forward to, as he continued his trek towards Rookie of the Year. The former Duke Blue Devil turned in his second straight double-double, scoring 19 points and pulling down 11 rebounds over 33 minutes. But perhaps the most surprising player for Philly has been point guard T.J. McConnell, who keeps filling up the score sheet night in and night out. The undrafted rookie out of Arizona scored 13 points with seven rebounds and six assists over 34 minutes.
The Mavericks continue their road trip Wednesday against the Celtics, while the 76ers will eye their first win of the season against the Pacers at home.
