Sixers discuss defensive effort from guards after win over Mavericks

The Philadelphia 76ers were able to even up their road trip at 2-2 with a 123-108 win over the Dallas Mavericks on New Year's Day. The Sixers are now in position for a 3-2 road trip if they can finish it with a win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

One aspect from the win over the Mavericks that has to be pointed out is the defensive effort by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. While Edgecombe had the billing of being a defender entering the draft, it has been the opposite for Maxey as he has had to work hard to be a more than solid defender for Philadelphia at this stage.

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Maxey had two blocks and two steals against the Mavericks while Edgecombe had four steals and a rude block in the fourth quarter to seal it for Philadelphia. After the win, coach Nick Nurse revealed he and his staff have been working with both to get some pick 6 type of opportunities on the defensive end.

"Again, those guys are both lightning quick, and we're trying to work on some things where they can create some turnovers or some pick six--those are huge," Nurse told reporters. "Even Q (Quentin Grimes) has such a burst into some passing lanes, and you get one or two of those a game that gives you a free layup at the other end."

The Sixers have to get creative with Maxey on the defensive end of the floor to make up for some limitations here and there. While credit has to go to Maxey for the constant work he has put in to become the defender he is right now, the Sixers have still needed to get creative with their backcourt pairing.

"We try to be aggressive with guys that are making spin moves and things like that," Nurse finished. "You see us chasing those guys down. We get hurt by it, sometimes a little over-aggressive, but for the most part, we created some turnovers, and that turned into some easy offense."

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If Maxey and Edgecombe continue to take steps in the defensive department of their game, then that enhances what they can do on the offensive end. The two combined for 57 points while also causing problems for Dallas on the defensive end. That's something the Sixers will hope can continue to grow as time moves on.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers discuss defensive effort from guards after win over Mavericks