The Dallas Mavericks head east to face the Philadelphia 76ers in Philly tonight. After a rough start to the season, Dallas has started to get healthy and mesh on the court.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, has seen the injury bug arrive. Kelly Oubre is out, and Joel Embiid missed Friday's game due to illness. Plus, the Sixers are playing on the back end of consecutive games.
My Mavericks vs. 76ers predictions and NBA picks call for the fresher Dallas team to cover as a slight road dog.
Mavericks vs 76ers prediction
Mavericks vs 76ers best bet: Dallas Mavericks +2.5 (-105)
Three weeks ago, the Dallas Mavericks seemed like a good bet to contend for the worst record in the league. On Black Friday, the Mavs lost their third in a row to fall 10 games below .500, not an easy number to hit on game 20.
Since then, things have been looking up. The Mavericks have gone 6-2, straight up and ATS, since, with one of the losses coming at OKC. Anthony Davis returned to the lineup at the start of December after missing 15 of the previous 16 games.
He's had four double-doubles in six games this month. Meanwhile, things have started to click for rookie Cooper Flagg. In seven December games, he's averaging 24 points and 3.9 assists, up from 16.7 points and 3.5 assists. He's also boosted his shooting percentage on two-point shots to .567, up from .539.
The Philadelphia 76ers have won three straight ATS and have covered three of their last four games as favorites. Friday's hard-fought win over the Knicks was Philly's first victory over a team with a winning record since Halloween.
Embiid was initially listed as questionable for Friday's game due to illness, then was ruled out because of the illness and management of the knee injury that kept him out eight games earlier this year. Sixers coach Nick Nurse wouldn't give a straight answer on whether the knee is bothering him again, and Embiid's availability is up in the air for the Dallas game.
Tyrese Maxey returned after missing two games due to illness and didn't miss a step, and rookie VJ Edgecombe came up big on both ends of the floor down the stretch.
The Sixers spent a lot of mental and physical energy in the win at New York, however. Bouncing back against this Dallas team will be tougher than it once appeared.
Mavericks vs 76ers same-game parlay
The Sixers have lived Under the game total in recent games. Six of their last seven have gone Under, as have seven of the previous nine. Don't fall for the trap, however.
Philly just finished a long stretch against plodding teams. Six of those seven Under games came against opponents that, like the Sixers, are in the bottom half of the league in pace. Four of their seven opponents were in the bottom 10.
Dallas has the sixth-fastest tempo in the NBA, and four of the Mavs' last five have gone over.
VJ Edgecombe is averaging 15.6 for the season and has scored 71 in the last three games.
Mavericks vs 76ers SGP
- Dallas Mavericks +2.5
- VJ Edgecombe Over 14.5 points
- Over 226.5
Our "from downtown" SGP: Mini Maxey!
We're going out on a limb here because Tyrese Maxey has been the Sixers' best player. He's scored 26 or more in four of five and 19 times this season in 24 games.
He didn't just miss two games, however. Given a scheduling quirk, Maxey didn't see the court for 12 days. Returning with an immediate back-to-back might cause his legs and wind to falter in this game.
Mavericks vs 76ers SGP
- Dallas Mavericks +2.5
- VJ Edgecombe Over 14.5 points
- Over 226.5
- Tyrese Maxey Under 26.5 points
Mavericks vs 76ers odds
- Spread: Mavericks +2.5 (-115) | 76ers -2.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Mavericks +110 | 76ers -135
- Over/Under: Over 227.5 (-115) | Under 227.5 (-105)
Mavericks vs 76ers betting trend to know
The Dallas Mavericks have hit the Team Total Over in their last nine games . Find more NBA betting trends for Mavericks vs. 76ers.
How to watch Mavericks vs 76ers
| Location | Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA |
| Date | Saturday, December 20, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | KFAA, NBCSP |
Mavericks vs 76ers latest injuries
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