Who Called for 76ers’ Team Meeting After Brutal Loss vs Miami Heat?

The Philadelphia 76ers needed a team meeting on Monday after a loss against the Heat.

Nov 8, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (5) moves the ball with guard Kyle Lowry (7) against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Monday night’s game in Miami was a reunion for multiple Philadelphia 76ers players. For guys like Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin, they had a chance to show their former team what they were missing. The first half was going as well as the Sixers had hoped. In the second quarter, they had a 19-point lead.

By halftime, the double-digit lead was down to three. By the third quarter, the Sixers found themselves trailing by as many as 16 points.

At the end of the night, the Sixers fell short for the fourth straight game. A 106-89 loss to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat dropped the Sixers to 2-11 on the season.

After checking into the game as a starter for 19 minutes, Lowry sat next to his seven-time All-Star center Joel Embiid after the game concluded. For a brief moment, Lowry was seen chatting up the star center on the bench as the Sixers left the court for the locker room. Shortly after, he reportedly called for a team meeting, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

"Last night the 76ers had a team meeting & I was told that Tyrese Maxey challenged Joel Embiid..

He told him that we need you to be on time for team activities..

Tyrese loves Joel but he delivered a message that I think a lot of people saw coming" @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/gZarFbioLn

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 19, 2024

Per ESPN, the lengthy discussion was a “much-needed heart-to-heart” and a “call to action and urgency.”

It’s hard to say an NBA season is lost in November—but it’s clear the Sixers are losing it based on how they’ve looked through the first month of action.

Due to injuries and injury management plans, the Sixers have yet to see what their All-Star trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George looks like. Maxey played five games as the lone All-Star on the court, leading Philly to a 1-4 record.

The one-time All-Star linked with Paul George for two games. Rust and a minutes restriction prevented George from having a major impact on the Sixers when he returned to the court. Maxey and George went 0-2 as a duo.

Joel Embiid returned for the Sixers’ tenth game of the season. He took a night off against the Cleveland Cavaliers and returned for the last two games against the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat. In three games with Embiid and George, the Sixers are winless.

Lowry, who re-signed with the Sixers for a second stint this past offseason, was brought back to play a bench role and remain a valuable vocal leader within the locker room. With injuries hitting the depth, Lowry has started all but three of the 13 matchups he played this season. The veteran is averaging just four fewer minutes than he did with the Sixers last season.

On the court, Lowry has been struggling, as he’s produced six points per game while shooting 38 percent from the field. Fortunately for the Sixers, he’s taking on the leadership role at a time when they need it most.

Will the meeting lead to better days ahead for the Sixers? Only time will reveal that much.

On Wednesday, the Sixers will pay a visit to the Memphis Grizzlies. They’ll be looking to climb out of a four-game losing streak.

As for the spectators, they’ll be looking closely for a change in focus, body language, and attitude. The Sixers have been expressing confidence in being able to turn things around early on, but Monday’s loss certainly tossed some doubt in their supporters.