The Dallas Mavericks will hit the road to Philadelphia to play against the 76ers on Saturday at the Xfinity Mobile Arena right after they registered a resounding win over the Detroit Pistons. Meanwhile, the 76ers are also in good rhythm as they are heading into this game with a win over the NY Knicks. However, the prime story surrounding the game will be the epic showdown between Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis.

The East-West showdown is happening between the Mavericks, who are 11th in the Western Conference with an underwhelming 11-17 record. Whereas Philadelphia is in a much better position, sitting in fifth position in the East with a better 15-11 record. Broke teams have returned to winning ways in their last game.

Are Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg playing tonight? Latest injury report on Mavericks

Anthony Davis is a crucial player for the Mavericks, and his inclusion will be detrimental to their success this season. AD is listed as ‘probable’ for Saturday’s game against the 76ers. He played through illness in their last game against Detroit, where he featured for 37 minutes, recording 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Davis has appeared in six of the seven games for Dallas this month, averaging 19.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals in 30.7 minutes per contest in that period.

While it has been a tough season for Davis with some injury concerns, it has been Mavericks’ rookie Cooper Flagg who has led the roster in his absence. The young forward is playing like a number 1 pick and has averaged 18.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, while shooting 47.8% from the floor. He will be ready to suit up against Philadelphia after recording a team-high 23 points against the Pistons.

Top Stories

Shaquille O’Neal’s Lakers Teammate Arrested Again As Arizona Court Issues Verdict On Order Violation

Did Zion Williamson Slide Into Sydney Sweeney’s DMs? Fact Checking the Viral Screenshot

Anthony Edwards Breaks Silence On Wolves HC Chris Finch Ejection After Win vs OKC

Bucks Eyeing $97M NBA Guard To Help Giannis Antetokounmpo, As Per Reports

Shaquille O’Neal Drops Verdict On Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua After Round 6 KO

Dallas Mavericks Injury Report

The Dallas Mavericks could miss the services of Klay Thompson, who is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game with left knee soreness. Other confirmed absentees include veteran guard Kyrie Irving, who is out indefinitely with a knee injury, whereas Dereck Lively II (foot) and Dante Exum (knee) are both out for the remainder of the season.

Are Joel Embiid, Paul George playing tonight? Latest injury report on 76ers

It has been a tough season for both the Philadelphia stars, Joel Embiid and Paul George, as they have suffered injury concerns. However, with every setback, they have returned with renewed vigor and passion to prove a point.

Joel Embiid is listed as ‘questionable’ for the upcoming home game after he missed the trip to New York due to an illness. He didn’t play against the Knicks despite taking part in the shoot-around, which probably means that he could be ready to suit up against Dallas. Overall, he has been restricted to playing only 11 games this season due to a lingering knee concern.

“I don’t think there’s anything new,” 76ers head coach Nick Nurse told the media about Embiid’s absence. “And I don’t think anything happened. It’s all just part of trying to manage the stuff going forward.”

Meanwhile, Paul George is cleared off the injury list for the 76ers game. He had a quiet night in New York, scoring only seven points, four assists, and six rebounds in 33 minutes. The veteran has had his challenges with injuries, as his knee injury from last season saw him miss the first 12 games this season.

PG will look to replicate his 35-point masterclass against the Raptors on Saturday when the 76ers welcome the Mavericks in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia 76ers Injury Report

The Sixers don’t have a massive injury list, but they will miss the services of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford as both of them are out of contention for Saturday’s showdown. Oubre is out with a sprained left knee, whereas Watford has a thigh concern.

Joel Embiid vs Mavericks, Anthony Davis vs 76ers: How they’ve performed in past matchups

Whenever Joel Embiid is healthy, his skill-set to be one of the best players in the NBA. Therefore, his stats also scream about the talent he possesses. Overall, Embiid has played against the Mavericks 10 times in his NBA career, averaging 28.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. If the big man doesn’t suit up on Saturday, then it will be a big miss for the Sixers.

Similarly, Anthony Davis is equally important for Dallas, if not more. The big man has featured in 20 games against Saturday’s opponents, putting up 23.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. His presence on the court changes a lot of things for the Mavericks.

Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers match preview and what to expect?

This will be the first time the Mavericks will be playing the Sixers this season. However, in the last five meetings, the 76ers are overwhelming ahead with a 4-1 record over Dallas, including a couple of wins this year. The last time the Mavericks won against the Sixers was back in February 2024, when Luka Doncic was still featuring for them.

In terms of form, both teams are in a similar situation with their fair share of strengths and weaknesses. If Embiid doesn’t turn up, the onus will be on others to fill the void.

Dallas Mavericks vs Philadelphia 76ers predicted starting lineups

Based on current injury reports, here’s how both teams could start on Saturday.

If Joel Embiid misses another game, then Andre Drummond will continue in the starting lineup, with VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey may then have to do the heavy lifting on offense. Overall, it could be an intense game with extremely close margins. Which team do you think will have the last laugh?