Player grades: Tyrese Maxey, Sixers earn tough win over Mavericks

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers returned home on Saturday night to play host to the Dallas Mavericks looking to keep things moving in the right direction. On the second night of a back-to-back following Friday's road win over the New York Knicks, the Sixers knew they would have to dig deep tp get this one done.

The Mavericks, led by strong rookie Cooper Flagg, trailed the Sixers by as many as 12, but then clawed their way back into it and had the Sixers in a position where they had to find a way to rally. Led by Tyrese Maxey, they were able to do so as they earned a tough and gritty 121-114 win at home to keep things moving forward.

Maxey had 38 points while Dominick Barlow tied a career-high with 21 points and four rebounds on the night. VJ Edgecombe had 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists, Andre Drummond had six and 12 rebounds, and Adem Bona added 10 and eight boards with Jared McCain adding 12, five rebounds, and five assists.

Here are the player grades following the win:

Tyrese Maxey: A

The 3-ball was a real weapon in this one for Maxey. He was stepping into shots from way beyond the arc to get himself going offensively which then allowed him to get into the paint when Dallas had to adjust. The Mavs don’t have a real defensive stopper and that allowed Maxey to do his thing on that end of the floor. He had a stretch in the second quarter where he really put his imprint on the game. He is so quick off the dribble and it allows him to create offense for himself and others more often than not. Overall, it wasn’t the most efficient night for Maxey, but he was still able to keep the scoreboard moving and give Philadelphia a lot on that end.

VJ Edgecombe: A

Continuing his fantastic performance from Friday in New York, Edgecombe went to work against the Mavericks early and often. He put his head down, drove to the basket, and converted tough buckets through contact and he was an offensive engine to start the night. After getting into foul trouble which limited him a bit, he had a big third quarter as he kept the Sixers in the game when the Mavs made their move to take control. He just has an ability to do so much on the floor and the Sixers are certainly better going forward because of him.

Quentin Grimes: D-plus

It was a miserable start for Grimes in this one as he couldn’t buy a bucket on the offensive end and he had a turnover while having some struggles on the defensive end as well. He did contribute by making plays for others so there was a positive for him in the early going. Overall, it was a struggle for Grimes as he was unable to get much going.

Dominick Barlow: A-plus

There is so much to like about Barlow. His energy and athleticism continue to be a standout as he makes plays on both ends of the floor to contribute to winning. He did a lot of good things in this one in the paint and on the defensive end as he moved his feet on the perimeter and did a good job of recovering at the basket enough to make plays on that end as well. On the other end, his basketball IQ is so high as he moved so well without the basketball to get himself some easy looks at the basket. He was all over the place on either end of the floor and gave the Sixers a real spark.

Andre Drummond: B-plus

The Mavericks are a tough team to keep off the glass due to the presence of guys like Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and PJ Washington, but Drummond did an admirable job of holding his own on the second night of a back-to-back. There were some tough moments defensively against Davis, but he made it tough for him most of the night and he contributed on the offensive end as well.

Adem Bona: A-minus

It was a very impactful Bona game from the start. His initial stint was terrific as he was active on the glass, a force in the paint, and he gave the Mavericks issues with his energy and activity. He was terrific on the glass, finished around the basket, knocked down a 3, and played excellent defense on Davis. He deserves a lot of credit for his performance in this one.

Jabari Walker: B-minus

The initial stint for Walker off the bench was a struggle. While he did grab a couple of rebounds, he missed an opportunity at the basket and committed a bad foul while Mavericks forward Naji Marshall was launching a three-quarters court heave to end the first quarter which resulted in three free throws. His performance in the second half, however, was very good. His play on the defensive end of the floor was impressive and was a key reason for the run in the fourth quarter.

Jared McCain: B-plus

McCain missed an early triple, but he was able to contribute by putting his head down and getting to the basket. He got to the foul line early to get himself on the board and then had a nice finish at the basket while handling the ball as well. He knocked down a big 3 in the fourth to give Philadelphia a boost and he stuffed the box score in this one.

Justin Edwards: B-minus

Edwards did some nice things on the defensive end as he bothered Dallas on the perimeter. That allowed him to contribute despite not converting on some open looks from deep.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Tyrese Maxey, Sixers earn tough win over Mavericks