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Sixers-Mavericks Recap: Super Ugly

Earlier tonight, the Philadelphia 76ers were destroyed by the Dallas Mavericks to the tune of 123-70. On the bright side, at least the Sixers will be able to get right back on the court tomorrow and distance themselves from the horrible events that occurred this evening.

By Roy Burton
Dirk Nowitzki only took eight shots against the Sixers, yet the Mavericks still won the game by 53 points.
Dirk Nowitzki only took eight shots against the Sixers, yet the Mavericks still won the game by 53 points.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The last time the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Dallas Mavericks on the road, YouTube and Twitter didn't exist, the No. 1 song in America was Mario's "Let Me Love You", and Donovan McNabb was still a week away from losing his lunch in Super Bowl XXXIX.

One wouldn't fault No. 5 if he repeated his feat while watching the Sixers' 123-70 destruction at the hands of the Mavs tonight - everyone who sat through all 48 minutes deserves a replica of the Lombardi Trophy.

Coming into the game, the contest had all of the makings of being a milestone day in Sixers' history: Michael Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel were set to share the court for the first time as professionals, and rookie K.J. McDaniels was tabbed as a starter for the first time in his young career.

Unfortunately, the Sixers made history for all of the wrong reasons. It only took 12 minutes for them to set a season low in points scored (10) and points allowed (38) in a single quarter, and then they proceeded to double-down on their poor play in the second quarter, entering intermission trailing 73-29. The 44-point halftime deficit set a franchise record and ranks as the second-biggest in NBA history.

Noel was a -31 after two quarters, and he earned every bit of that plus/minus figure. Out of position defensively, muscled in the paint on the offensive end of the court - it's clear that he's still just a few games into his NBA career.

The rest of his teammates weren't much better: As a unit, the Sixers shot just 25.7 percent in the first half while the Mavericks knocked down their shots at a healthy 59 percent clip. The 76ers were outrebounded 28 to 16 after the first two quarters, and their 14-to-5 turnover/assist ratio only exacerbated the situation.

Carter-Williams led the team with 19 points (on 6-for-19 shooting), but he didn't play much better than his former AAU teammate. MCW had six turnovers to go along with his five assists, but on the positive side (if there is such a thing after a 53-point loss), the Sixers' second-year playmaker was aggressive offensively, and he did look noticeably bigger after he reportedly added 15 pounds this offseason.

Dallas had little difficulty finding open shots against a Sixers' defense that continues to struggle when it comes to guarding the perimeter. The Mavericks shot 51 percent on the evening (and just 34 percent from beyond the arc), but they left plenty of easy scoring opportunities on the table. Even so, Dirk Nowitzki led all scorers with 21 points (on just eight shots) as Dallas rolled to their biggest win in franchise history.

For better or worse, the pre-Thanksgiving Day Massacre caused Basketball Twitter to explode: Both supporters and opponents of the Sixers' rebuilding strategy made their voices and opinions heard throughout the night. The next few days should be fun on social media, but there's no rest for the trending: The 76ers have a date with Dwight Howard, James Harden and the Houston Rockets tomorrow before ending their three-game Texas road trip on Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs.

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