76ers at Mavericks
The Philadelphia 76ers are the only remaining winless team in the NBA and they have also lost eight straight games in Dallas as they visit the Mavericks on Thursday. Philadelphia has lost seven straight to begin the season to mark the franchise’s worst start since losing 15 in a row to start the 1972-73 season. That edition of the 76ers ended up with a 9-73 mark that still stands for most losses in NBA history.
Dallas is coming off a 106-98 victory over Sacramento, a contest in which it overcame a 24-point deficit while forward Dirk Nowitzki was moving into ninth-place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Nowitzki scored 23 points to increase his career point total to 26,953 and pass Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon. “You know, Hakeem, to me, is one of the greatest,” Nowitzki told reporters. “I grew up watching him in the '90s. His footwork, his touch was next to no other, so I’m really humbled to keep climbing the ladder and blessed to stay healthy and still play at a semi-high level.”
TV: 9 p.m. CSN Philadelphia, FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (0-7): Second-year point guard Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder) is expected to make his season debut and his minutes will be monitored until he increases his endurance. “I doubt I’m going to play him big minutes,” coach Brett Brown told reporters. “He’s still gifted and he makes us better, but he hasn’t really played much real basketball in a while, and you see that.” Carter-Williams averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds last season en route to being named NBA Rookie of the Year.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (5-3): Small forward Chandler Parsons has been up-and-down with his performances in his first eight games with the club after signing a three-year, $46 million deal as a free agent. Parsons scored 19 points – he was 5-of-11 from 3-point range – in the comeback win over Sacramento but had just nine points on 2-of-20 shooting over the previous two contests. He also had a 2-of-10 performance in his Dallas debut, and his overall percentages are 38.7 from the field and 32.5 from 3-point range.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Dallas has won 13 of the past 16 meetings.
2. Philadelphia PF Nerlens Noel (ankle) is expected to return after missing two games.
3. Mavericks C Tyson Chandler has posted three straight double-doubles, averaging 15 points and 13 rebounds during the stretch.