Sixers Fly To Dallas To Avoid Sinking In Sea Of .500

As Andrew Bynum's December 20 judgment day comes closer and closer, the Philadelphia 76ers sink further and further into the abyss of mediocrity without all-star caliber point guard Jrue Holiday. It has not been pretty. You've cringed. I've cringed. Mark Sanchez has cringed. Okay, maybe it has not been that bad. Actually, it definitely has not been that bad. But we've all witnessed the Sixers recent and we are all worse people for having done so.

Much like the Sixers, the Dallas Mavericks have a superstar big man out indefinitely. Much like the Sixers, the Dallas Mavericks have lost their last three games. Much like the Sixers, the Dallas Mavericks have rebounding issues. Unlike the Sixers, the Mavericks have never paid money to Kwame Brown. But outside of that small detail, the teams are pretty much the same. Twinnies!

Well, there is that whole "Elton Brand sure would look good on the Sixers thing," and the fact that the Mavericks have a stronger front court, but drawing comparisons is fun, especially when your team is missing its two best players. Yeah, that is kind of a bummer. The comparisons no matter how flimsy occupy time and the more time occupied over something stupid the less time is spent mulling how downhill the Sixers have gone since acquiring Andrew Bynum on that glorious day. Can't you tell this is being written late at night?

Assuming Jrue Holiday does not attempt bowling or curling or karate any time soon, he should not miss any significant time and the Sixers can go back to being a fringe playoff contender. Which YAY, if there is any year to give a draft pick to Miami this might be it, but NAY*, the Sixers may need a warm body in the 1st round of this year's draft.

*Of course this is NAY to becoming a fringe playoff contender, not NAY Jrue Holiday is coming back. Obviously, his development this season is vital to the Sixers going forward and he should play as much as possible.

The last time the Sixers and Mavs played each other, a decent basketball game actually happened. Why did this decent basketball game star Kwame Brown? No decent basketball game should star Kwame Brown. Oh and Evan Turner played an outstanding game defensively guarding O.J. Mayo. That was kind of important too. More of that tonight, please. And also some more weirdness. The weirdness of the last meeting was fun.

As LJ Rotter noted prior to the last time the Sixers and Mavs did battle, the Mavs are a wildly inconsistent team. They are currently on the down end of that inconsistency, but they are playing the Sixers tonight possibly without Jrue Holiday. In their last game against the Timberwolves, both O.J. Mayo and Derek Fisher managed 20 points. Mayo did it on 16 shots. Fisher did it on 8 shots. In addition to that, the Mavericks played former Sixer fan favorite Elton Brand for a healthy 26 minutes that saw him collect 15 points on 7-11 shooting.

Jrue Holiday is officially a game time decision, but it currently appears doubtful that he will actually pay [UPDATE: He's been ruled out]. Embrace the sinking feeling!

To the bullet points we go!

• Jrue Holiday's status will be a large determinant in how this game goes. It goes without say that Jrue is the best player on this team without Bynum and his presence is vital if the Sixers want to help assure themselves a victory in Dallas.
• Reading up on the Dallas Mavericks? Check out Mavs Moneyball for the Dallas perspective of tonight's tilt.
• Ukuleles are not spotted at basketball games nearly enough.
• Everyone who is anyone is purchasing Philadelphia 76ers Tickets. First person to respond to this bullet point with an Adam Aron joke gets banned for life.