76ers Star Shares Postgame Moment With Tyrese Maxey After Pacers Game

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was thrilled to see Tyrese Maxey's success against the Indiana Pacers.

Jan 4, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball Indiana Pacers during the third quarter quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

For the first three games of the 2024-2025 NBA season, Joel Embiid watched his Philadelphia 76ers from the bench.

Although the Sixers center isn’t currently rehabbing an injury, he’s slowly easing his way into his debut after seeing the court for just 39 games last year due to a knee injury. On an injury management plan, Embiid has missed the team’s entire preseason and opening week slate.

Without Embiid and the injured Paul George, the Sixers have relied on Tyrese Maxey to lead the way. In the first two games, Maxey struggled and the supporting cast didn’t make up for it.

As a whole, the Sixers dropped their first two games of the season. Maxey was surprisingly lacking in the efficiency department as he racked up plenty of shots. When the Sixers reached their third game on the road against the Indiana Pacers, Maxey was on a different level.

After the game, Embiid and Maxey shared a moment before the star guard did his postgame TV interview. Embiid was all smiles after watching his one-time All-Star teammate go to work.

Joel Embiid's postgame post on Sunday with Tyrese Maxey. / @JoelEmbiid on Instagram

In four quarters and an overtime period, Maxey attempted 32 shots from the field. He got to the free throw line at a high rate, attempting 15 shots from the charity stripe.

Maxey knocked down 44 percent of his shots from the field. He ended up scoring a game-high 45 points. Despite a slow first half, 38 of Maxey’s points came in the second half, including overtime.

The Sixers possess a 1-2 record heading into the second week. While Maxey’s been playing high minutes, he remains healthy heading into the team’s Wednesday night matchup against the Detroit Pistons.

As for Joel Embiid and Paul George, the status of the two stars remains unclear at this time. The Sixers return to practice on Tuesday and should have a better idea of their availability soon.