Sixers prepare for second shot at Dallas, first with Luka Doncic
Doncic missed Dallas' earlier win against the Sixers this season with an ankle injury.
The last time the 76ers played Dallas, the Mavericks were without their superstar Luka Doncic, who was out with an ankle injury.
Now, the Sixers (25-14) will be without two-time All-Star center Joel Embiid when they visit the Mavericks on Saturday for the first of a two-game road trip that ends Monday in Indiana.
Embiid had surgery on Friday afternoon in New York to repair a torn radial collateral ligament in the ring finger of his left hand. He suffered the injury during Monday’s 120-113 home win over Oklahoma City.
Dallas, which was 23-14 entering Friday’s home game against the Los Angeles Lakers, didn’t miss Doncic in a 117-98 win over the Sixers on Dec. 20 at the Wells Fargo Center.
Doncic, who missed four games with the ankle injury, continues to be an MVP contender after earning Rookie of the Year honors last season.
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward is averaging 29.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists this season.
Doncic, who doesn’t turn 21 until Feb. 28, has 19 career triple-doubles, the most by a player before his 21st birthday. He leads the NBA this season with 11.
One player who won’t face the Sixers is Kristaps Porzingis, who was listed out for Friday’s game against the Lakers with right knee soreness. A Mavericks official said that Porzingis won’t play against the Sixers either.
During Dallas’ earlier win over the Sixers, Porzingis had 22 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocked shots. Also out for Dallas is Ryan Broekhoff, who scored eight points off the bench against the Sixers. He has a left fibula fracture.