Mavs-Sixers preview: Home is where the heart (and W’s) should be

OK, so the Mavericks had a crummy trip against Eastern Conference competition.

It’s not the end of the world. Or the season.

Far from it.

Despite going 1-3 on the journey through Indiana, Cleveland, Toronto and Boston, it could have been worse. And the Mavericks still are very much in the thick of the playoff race.

In fact, it’s a virtual guarantee that the Mavericks are playing beyond game No. 82 this season. They are eighth in the Western Conference, seven games up on No. 11 Utah.

With only 22 games left, the Mavericks are highly unlikely to fall out of the play-in tournament.

So the question is: How do they rise to No. 6 or higher and avoid the play-in?

It starts with protecting their home floor for the next week, beginning at noon Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s the fifth of nine consecutive games against East opponents and the start of a three-game homestand.

Indiana and Miami follow the Sixers.

Normally, Western Conference teams have feasted on East foes. The West is winning at a 56 percent clip this season. The Mavericks are 13-8.

That’s OK, in spite of the disappointing trip that ended with Friday’s blowout loss to the rampaging Boston Celtics.

But it’s the home court where the Mavericks need to go to work. They already have 13 losses at American Airlines Center. That’s the same number of losses that they have on the road.

They can’t allow that number to grow any higher during these next three games.

Here’s what else to look for when the Sixers come calling early Sunday:

• Philadelphia has struggled without Joel Embiid, who may have been the MVP frontrunner before he went down with a left knee injury. They are 5-8 without him since Feb. 1. Embiid was averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists before the injury. Embiid told reporters recently that he is optimistic that he will return at some point before the end of the regular season.
• Robert Covington, Kelly Oubre Jr., KJ Martin and DeAnthony Melton also are fighting injuries.
• Tyrese Maxey (26.1 points) has taken over the lead scoring duties, but the Sixers also have dangerous weapons Buddy Hield and Tobias Harris.
• The Mavericks will be going for the season series sweep after having won 118-102 in Philly on Feb. 5. That was the start of their seven-game winning streak that ended last week.
• Kyrie Irving has been terrific since his return from injury. In 11 games, he’s averaging 26.9 points and shooting 43.6 percent from three-point land. The Mavericks are 8-3 since his return.
• For the first time in months, Jason Kidd had a fully healthy roster at Boston on Friday. Dante Exum returned after missing about a month with bursitis in his right knee and had four points in 14 minutes.
• Luka Dončić had his 12 triple-double of the season in Boston and the 68^th of his career. In the last 10 games, he has averaged 34.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 11 assists.

PHILADELPHIA 76ers (34-25) at MAVERICKS (34-26)

• When/where: Noon Sunday, American Airlines Center, Dallas.
• TV: Channel 8 (ABC), UniMás 49.
• Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).

X: @ESefko