Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie reflected on Thursday’s 123-108 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at American Airlines Center. The defeat dropped Dallas to 12-23 and highlighted the team’s struggles from beyond the arc.
“They were just playing good basketball when they were making shots down the stretch,” Christie said. “I thought we played solid defense, but offense in this league is superior to defense sometimes.”
Christie discussed defending Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey, who scored 34 points. “Yeah, very difficult. He’s very fast and skilled, able to stop on a dime and score from all three levels. It requires five guys, not just one,” Christie said.
The young guard also addressed the Mavericks’ three-point struggles. “Getting in the paint, maybe getting to the free throw line a little bit, but we got to take some more threes,” Christie said. “When they’re not falling, we still need to generate good offense.”
On increasing three-point volume moving forward, Christie said, “Sometimes I pass up inbetweeners, but we need a conscious effort to run more actions to get more three-point attempts.”
Christie credited teammate Klay Thompson for helping elevate his shooting. “He’s been great. Just seeing how he sets his feet, his mindset, everything has helped me,” Christie said. “His short-term memory—just firing away when open—is something I’ve learned from.”
Christie also spoke on Naji Marshall’s fourth-quarter impact. “He’s a great player, lives in the paint, and can score at a high level. His ability to carve through defenses also opens up more threes,” Christie said.
The guard praised Anthony Davis in his first game back from injury. “He did a good job. His defensive presence around the rim is huge, and his passing out of double teams helps our offense,” Christie said.
Christie addressed his own three-point volume. “Like Coach Kidd says, we need to shoot more threes, and I want to get my volume up. Hitting threes helps the team and creates opportunities for others,” he said.
Dallas shot just 38% from the field and 21% from three-point range, while Philadelphia hit 53% overall. Max Christie led Dallas with 18 points, followed by Cooper Flagg with 12 and Anthony Davis with 13.
The Mavericks host the Houston Rockets on Saturday, aiming to improve shooting efficiency and spacing to better complement their offensive threats. Christie’s comments highlight a focus on perimeter aggression and offensive adaptability moving forward.
