GDT Game 7: Mavs (1-5) vs 76ers (1-4) 10/28/2017 07:30 PM CST FSSW

[Underdog]

Mavericks' Noel to face former team Sixers
http://www.espn.com/nba/preview?gameId=400974832

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks center Nerlens Noel will face his old team, the Philadelphia 76ers, on Saturday night and it's not unfair to ask what comes as more of a surprise eight months later: that his old club appears to be on the better trajectory, or that Noel hasn't made a lasting impact with his new club?

Both teams have just one win on the season entering Saturday night's game at the American Airlines Center, but Philadelphia (1-4) finally seems to be trending in the right direction with up-and-coming stars Joel Embiid and the exciting Ben Simmons.

The Sixers are a heartbreaking, buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Houston's Eric Gordon on Wednesday from coming into Dallas looking for a third consecutive win. Philadelphia led one of the Western Conference's top contenders for most of the game.

The Mavs (1-5), meanwhile, are at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. They have been playing from behind most of the time. They're still searching for the combination of players to move beyond the aging Dirk Nowitzki, and hope young players like Harrison Barnes and rookie-of-the-year candidate Dennis Smith Jr., can lead the way.

They'd love for Noel to be a big part of moving forward. But so far it's been slow going for Dallas and Noel, who can't stick in the starting lineup -- he's started only half of the six games so far -- on a team that otherwise lacks a starting-caliber center.

When Noel isn't in the lineup, coach Rick Carlisle rolls with the 39-year-old Nowitzki in the middle. Carlisle would seemingly like to pair his legendary, slow-footed power forward next to Noel's slender, shot-blocking frame, but Noel's foul issues have mostly fouled up those plans.

Noel is averaging 8.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 19.0 minutes a game. His presence on the floor goes beyond stats, though. He's Dallas' top interior defender and one of the league's best rim protectors. But picking up fouls in bushels keeps him on the bench for long stretches.

"I love playing with him. We've just got to get him playing a little more," Nowitzki told the Dallas Morning News about Noel. "He can be a great, great factor for us."

Noel should feel motivated to stay on the court against Embiid and Simmons, the Sixers' two leading scorers. Embiid is averaging a double-double at 20.0 points and 10.5 rebounds, while the 6-foot-10 Simmons is putting up 16.4 points and 7.4 assists.

"It's going to be great to play against those guys that I was real close with -- Joel, Ben, the whole team really," Noel told the Philadelphia Inquirer following Dallas' loss Thursday at Memphis.

Meanwhile, the Sixers have something of their own center drama percolating, although it has nothing to do with the starting lineup. It does have to do with a player, like Noel, who expected to have more playing time, but Jahlil Okafor is going to continue to ride the pine behind backup center Amir Johnson, coach Brett Brown told reporters on Friday.

Unlike Noel, whose coach wants to play him more if he can limit his fouling, Okafor isn't exactly enticing Brown to sub him in.

"I'm playing Amir ahead of him and that's just the situation," Brown said, according to the Inquirer. "(Okafor) comes in and his head is good, his spirit is good and he and I talk all the time. But that is the bottom line: He is not in the rotation."

[sefant77]

Embiid is going to be hyped and probably drops a monster line on Noel and the Mavs

[Bryan_Wilson]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Embiid is going to be hyped and probably drops a monster line on Dwert Powell and the Mavs

Fixed.

Please play Noel, barring foul trouble, 30mins+. Things will really go south if he doesn't get playing time against his former team. Players never like that. Not as bad as it being in Philly but still, this isn't the game to get cute with lineups and play Powell over Noel.

[Thebo]

I am excited to see my first Mavs game this season. Busy schedule has hindered catching previous games, but Mavs against Philly should be a nice start.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Thebo

I am excited to see my first Mavs game this season. Busy schedule has hindered catching previous games, but Mavs against Philly should be a nice start.

Hopefully Dennis puts on a show for ya!

[Underdog]

@PompeyOnSixers: #Mavs center Nerlens Noel tells the Dallas media that he's going to talk trash to close friend and #Sixers center Joel Embiid all night.

Joel Embiid: 'I'm Going to Try to Dunk On' Nerlens Noel in Every 1-on-1 Matchup
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...mming-national

[sefant77]

I can see Rick benching Noel pretty quick if Noel plays too much 1on1 bullshit with Embiid...

[CGM]

The Sexers may have young talent, but they are not as talented as the Mavs' new kids... Mavs get # 2....

Mavs - 111
Sexers - 100

[sefant77]

Originally Posted by CGM

The Sexers may have young talent, but they are not as talented as the Mavs' new kids... Mavs get # 2....

i trade the Sixers trio for DSJ/Barnes/Noel

[CGM]

Originally Posted by sefant77

i trade the Sixers trio for DSJ/Barnes/Noel

Would you really...?

In the Jr, the Barnes, and the Noel we trust!

[sefant77]

two franchise player vs. one....so yes. Even with the Embiid health gamble

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

Fixed.

Please play Noel, barring foul trouble, 30mins+. Things will really go south if he doesn't get playing time against his former team. Players never like that. Not as bad as it being in Philly but still, this isn't the game to get cute with lineups and play Powell over Noel.

Honestly this seems like a Carlisle petty move to not play Noel. I expect 20 minutes again.

[Underdog]

@NickVanExit: “Have you ever seen a Big as skilled as Joel Embiid? He can take threes and dribble up the floor.”

Carlisle: “Noel thinks he can do it.”

[Underdog]

Tonight's starters:

DSJ
Wes
Barnes
Dirk
Noel

[walter]

Link for anyone in need

http://www.nfl-tv.pw/nba-9.php

[sefant77]

Yepp.....healthy Embiid is a monster

[EricaLubarsky]

Mavs suck really bad

[EricaLubarsky]

Mavs may need a lottery pick even when playing full heath

[Thebo]

Embiid is quite a monster. Mavs have really trouble handling the size of Sixers and driving to the basket/collapsing Sixers defense. At least NN had enough wits to avoid getting second foul, that early foul made his life harder.

I hope to see more NN and DSJ together on court.

[EricaLubarsky]

Matthews is the only guy that scored so far other than that oop

[rmacomic]

Hmmmm.... may need to find a hobby this season. I'll watch the games, but yikes am I gonna need a distraction to get through 82 of them.

[EricaLubarsky]

-13 in the first. Let’s see some Gian

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by rmacomic

Hmmmm.... may need to find a hobby this season. I'll watch the games, but yikes am I gonna need a distraction to get through 82 of them.

Only 75 more of this and then a few odd months of waiting until that draft

[sefant77]

Thats why i said i take Embiid and Simmons alone over our young three guys

[ffballer]

noel on the bench and we can't grab a rebound SMH

[Underdog]

Moar Dwert Perwell.

[sefant77]

Watching Powells rebound position is so sad. On the last Philly jumper he not even tried to box out Embiid

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Watching Powells rebound position is so sad. On the last Philly jumper he not even tried to box out Embiid

Shhh, dude has contributed more than anyone this year to what we’re doing

[Underdog]

@thesmokingcuban: Angry Rick Carlisle is top-ten scariest things in the world. Glad he's on our side. #MFFL

[Bryan_Wilson]

I never thought I'd say this... but Wes could end up not being impossible to trade.

[Bryan_Wilson]

What the hell was that Embiid

[sefant77]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

I never thought I'd say this... but Wes could end up not being impossible to trade.

he was never untradeable anyway, even during his shooting slump.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Bryan_Wilson

I never thought I'd say this... but Wes could end up not being impossible to trade.

And for that reason, we'll keep him.

[Underdog]

Dirk... WTF.

[EricaLubarsky]

Matthews can be our Bowen. We got our Parker. Just don’t have a Duncan or Robonson

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by Underdog

Dirk... WTF.

Pass was too hard

[sefant77]

Wes cant be Bowen, he is a nice guy and not an assfart

[sefant77]

Simmons in foul trouble kind of saved our ass

[sefant77]

DSJ with some reaaaally stupid TO

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by sefant77

DSJ with some reaaaally stupid TO

Outside of assists, he's having a rough game.