Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey is having quite the start to the season.

After 16 games played, the 25-year-old is having his highest points per game since joining the league in 2020. He’s averaging 33.4 points per game while also averaging his best field goal percentage (47.3%) since the 2022-23 campaign.

In the 76ers’ victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, Maxey recorded a career-high 54 points as he led the team to its ninth win of the season. The guard also tallied nine assists and five rebounds during the overtime win.

Maxey followed his career night with another big performance three days later against the Miami Heat. He led the team with 27 points and notched six assists, but it wasn’t enough for a tenth victory as the Heat won 127-117.

Out of the 16 games played for the team this season, only two of them have seen Maxey record less than 25 points. But even in those two games, he tallied over 20 points.

The 76ers are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. The team finished 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 24-58 record, its fewest wins since the 2016-17 season.

Maxey will look to continue his strong form in the upcoming week, where the 76ers will play two NBA Cup games. Philadelphia will host the Orlando Magic on Tuesday before facing the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Friday.

The Philadelphia 76ers entered this season with postseason hopes, having been first-round exits in 2024. They got stronger over the offseason on paper, re-signing All-Star Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., as well as adding first-round pick Jared McCain through the draft – all, of course, built around 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid.

Maxey is having a stellar season, sitting fifth in the NBA with 27.4 points per game. But that’s a position he’s been forced to step into, as it begins to look increasingly like neither McCain nor Embiid will play more than 25 games for the Sixers this season.

McCain was a bright spot in Philadelphia’s opening stretch – before injury forced him into season-ending left knee surgery just 23 games in. A lateral meniscus injury Embiid sustained in February 2024 has sidelined him for extended periods in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons already. He played 36 games last year, and has played just 19 of 56 this year, dealing with a foot sprain on top of the injured knee.

Now, as the 76ers have dropped to 20-36 on the season, Embiid is reportedly “considering alternative options, such as surgery,” for his knee.

Embiid has evidently been constrained by his injury this season, even while playing. He’s averaging 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, well below his career averages of 27.7 and 11.0, and has the worst field goal percentage of his career. 

76ers coach Nick Nurse said as much following the team’s Saturday night loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

“He’s giving us what he can,” Nurse told reporters. “He’s not himself; we all know that. He’s not, certainly, the guy that we’re used to seeing play at a super-high level. But I commend him for giving us what he can.”

With championship hopes definitively buried for the time being, and Embiid’s injury continuing to impede his play, shutting him down may be the smartest move for the franchise. It’s in the 76ers’ interest to have Embiid, who turns 31 next month, stay healthy for the long-term. And every night he plays on his injured knee shortens his potential time – and productivity – in the league.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will miss the team’s upcoming road trip due to swelling in his left knee. According to the Sixers, he will receive treatment in the coming days.

The 76ers announced that Embiid recently recovered from a foot sprain that sidelined him for six games and caused knee swelling following an on-court workout on Thursday. He will be re-evaluated in seven to ten days, meaning he won’t play against the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.

Embiid’s season has been significantly impacted by injuries, with the star center missing 26 games so far. The Sixers have faced difficulties without him, with an 8-18 record in his absence. His injuries have included left knee soreness and a sinus fracture, in addition to his three-game suspension following an incident with a reporter in the locker room.

With Embiid in the lineup, the Sixers have a record of 7-6.

His point and rebound career averages have also hit lows this season, with 24.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. His career averages in those areas are 27.8 points and 11.1 rebounds. He’s also shooting a career-low 45.2 percent from the field.

The team will need to rely heavily on Tyrese Maxey and Paul George to fill Embiid’s scoring void. However, George recently expressed frustration with his role. He told the media he feels “bored” playing the center position in Embiid’s absence. So far, the three of them have played just 10 games together.

The Sixers currently sit at the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 15-24, the eighth-worst in the league. This means their pick is currently eighth, but it will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it’s between 7-30.

Seven-time All-Star Joel Embiid has had a rough season.

Much-maligned for his injury troubles, Embiid missed the first nine games of the season under a suspension and “left knee management,” played four of the next five games, and then missed seven straight. When he returned, he suffered a sinus fracture that sidelined him for a game. Combined, going into Monday’s game against the Spurs, Embiid had played just seven of a possible 26 games. The 76ers were 9-17.

Starting against the Spurs, Embiid put up nine points, an assist, and three rebounds in 14 minutes. With three minutes left in the first half, though, he was hit with an offensive foul for charging through Victor Wembanyama.

Clearly upset, Embiid argued vehemently with referee Jenna Schroeder about the call. The argument created a prolonged altercation, during which Embiid followed Schroeder, ripped his protective face mask off, and continued to get in her face after receiving a technical foul for his behavior. He was eventually restrained by teammates, handed a second technical foul, and ejected.

The game was a wild one for ejections, with Schroeder also handing out an ejection to the 76ers’ Andre Drummond before overturning it via video review.

Philadelphia was able to pull out a five-point win on the back of a 32-point appearance from G Tyrese Maxey, and Embiid returned the following game, contributing 27 points to lift the 76ers over the 22-8 Boston Celtics.

The Sixers now sit at 11-17, but continue to rely heavily on the production of the 2023 MVP to win games, particularly with rookie Jared McCain out for the season. At 12th in the Eastern Conference, they have work to do if they plan to secure a playoff spot. And that will require Embiid to play more than eight full games per 28.

He and the 76ers return to action Saturday night against the Utah Jazz.

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated a depleted Philadelphia 76ers team 114-106 Wednesday, improving to 13-0 in an astounding start to the 2024-25 season. It is the best start to an NBA season since the Golden State Warriors’ mythical 24-0 run in 2015.

Throughout this torrid stretch, the Cavs have relied heavily on guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, and both star players delivered yet again with stellar performances against Philadelphia. Garland led the team with 25 points, while Mitchell put up 23 with 13 rebounds and 9 assists.

The 76ers, who had to compete with Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, would have been completely hopeless if not for a massive effort from rookie Jared McCain. The 20-year-old guard scored 34 points with 10 assists, but Cleveland still managed to wear down its shorthanded opponent and marched to an eight-point win.

The Cavaliers were not on many people’s radars as a serious championship contender before the season, but the results are becoming hard to deny. They have picked apart a weak Eastern Conference to this point, winning over the Knicks, Bucks and Magic, all playoff teams last season. 

Cleveland’s most dominant victory this season was also against its toughest opponent, when the team took a 41-point lead at the half against the Warriors and cruised home in a 136-117 blowout on Nov. 8. The Cavs have not yet been tested against the Celtics, the defending NBA Champions who knocked them out of the playoffs last year, but that hurdle is coming up in a game on Nov. 19.

“We’re just sticking together,” Garland said after the game Wednesday, according to ESPN. “Just taking it game by game. We know we’ve got a target on our back, so we’ve got to come in with that aggressiveness and that confidence that we’re going to win every game, and that’s what we’ve been doing. Even though like I said, long nights, not a lot of sleep, but we’ve got to stay together and just continue just to be great. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Joel Embiid’s name came up twice in NBA news this week as he continues to rehab from a lower-body injury and has yet to take the court.

In a game against the Indiana Pacers, he waved a towel during Andrew Nembhard‘s free throw attempt, which the NBA later assessed as a technical foul, although the referees did not see it or call it during the game. The Philadelphia 76ers won 118-114, which is their only win of the season, starting from the year 1-2.

On Tuesday, the NBA announced that it is fining the Philadelphia 76ers $100,000 for “inconsistent messaging” about his injury. In the off-season, Embiid said he would be willing to play below the 65-game threshold that the NBA instituted for players to be eligible for individual recognition to curb resting players.

The former MVP played less than half of his team’s game last season and does not have a timetable on when he will play this year as he deals with “left knee management.” Paul George, who signed a four-year deal with the 76ers in free agency during the off-season, has also not played after getting banged up in the pre-season and dealing with a hyperextended knee. Head coach Nick Nurse spoke on his two star’s health on Tuesday.

“We want these guys to play and we want them to be healthy and we want them to play great, and we want them to play great all season,” Nurse said. “Then my main focus is, I’ve got to do the job that I’ve got to do. I’ve got to try to get this team to play as good as it can tomorrow night. That takes a big chunk of my focus and whatever. I’m just trying to concentrate on my job at hand.”

Philadelphia takes on the Detroit Pistons at home on Wednesday.

Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry plans to stay put in Philadelphia for the 2024-2025 season after getting an opportunity to play with his hometown 76ers last season. Lowry agreed to a one-year contract Thursday to remain in Philly despite speculation of the point guard leaving for Los Angeles.

The Clippers were interested in Lowry’s services and a reunion with Chris Paul to “stock up” backcourt depth as Rusell Westbrook had a $4 million player option for 2024.

Lowry played with the Miami Heat for roughly two and a half seasons before being shipped off to Charlotte in exchange for Terry Rozier. The veteran joined his hometown squad soon after being bought out by the Hornets. In 23 games, Lowry averaged eight points, 4.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds while shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Prior to joining the Heat in 2021, Lowry spent nine seasons with the Raptors, winning the 2018-19 NBA Finals over the Warriors alongside Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam. The point guard averaged 16.2 points in the NBA Finals that season and recorded 26 points in game six to clinch Toronto’s first title. The former Villanova Wildcat was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2006 draft.

Philadelphia also brought in Paul George as part of their roster overhaul. Lowry’s presence enables a leadership role for Tyrese Maxey while being a distributor to George and Joel Embiid.

President Daryl Morey also recruited Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon to increase veteran presence. The roster overhaul comes in response to a devastating first-round exit to the Knicks, who utilized late-game heroics from their star players to steal games that the Sixers were mere seconds away from winning. Philly hasn’t appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001.

“The goal is always to win a championship,” Joel Embiid told ESPN in his first sit-down since general manager Daryl Morey put together a big three in Philadelphia by adding Paul George to the roster.

Embiid appears healthy, playing summer basketball with Team USA this summer at the Olympics. But, he cannot wait to touch the floor with George, a nine-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA performer.

“I don’t have to exert myself and make sure I have to have 30, 40 every single night for us to win, and I can let them do their thing.”

“On paper, and as far as the fit, it looks fantastic because you got both guys that can play off the ball, and they can play on ball, and they’re great shooters, and they can handle the ball, and then you also got me.”

George can carry a team on his own, something the 76ers have not given Embiid during his time in Philly. Ben Simmons was the first attempt at someone who could pair with the former MVP, but he never found his rhythm and flamed out of Philadelphia.

Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler were the next options, but the former worsened each season, and the latter bottled for Miami after a one-year stint. Tyrese Maxey just received a max extension from the 76ers, but being the third star, not the co-star, fits his game as he develops as a player. George and Embiid have never advanced to the NBA Finals or won an NBA championship, but the new trio will have the best crack in their professional careers at a title.

While stars influence winning the most in the NBA, the 76ers got depth around their top talent. Caleb Martin took a flight north from the Miami Heat, signing a four-year $32 million deal with his former Eastern Conference rival. Kyle Lowry decided to stay in his hometown for at least one more season.

The pieces have fallen into place and Philadelphia can start dreaming of the season for the first time in years.

There is a new big three in the Eastern Conference, as Paul George signed with the Philadelphia 76ers during the start of NBA free agency. He joins Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who just extended with the 76ers as they try to dethrone the Boston Celtics in the east.

George opted out of his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers, leaving James Harden and Kawhi Leonard on the West Coast. Reports suggested that the 34-year-old would meet with the Orlando Magic or try to facilitate a sign-and-trade with a contender. Ultimately, the chance to chase his first NBA championship landed him in the city of brotherly love. He spent five years with the Clippers and left just before the opening of their new arena. He never fully meshed with the other stars on his team and has a fresh start.

The 76ers needed to splash in free agency this year after their disastrous end to last season. Embiid missed most of the second half of the year and returned for the playoffs, yet never looked fully healthy. Philadelphia lost to the New York Knicks in five games during the first round but had enough cap space for a max contract with Tobias Harris joining the Detroit Pistons. General Manager Daryl Morey struck when the clock turned to midnight, cooling off his seat for a moment from the pressure of this sports town. Morey joins the Knicks in pursuing wing players because of the need to stop Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

While there have been injury concerns for George at his age and long-term contract, he played 74 games in the 2023-24 season, the most for him in five years. His points per game declined each of the last three seasons in L.A., finishing last year with 22.6. Next season will be the eight-time All-Stars’ 15th season in the NBA. He did not qualify for the USA men’s Olympic basketball team.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Cameron Payne was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Friday afternoon, facing two charges related to providing false information to law enforcement. Scottsdale police confirmed the arrest to KPHO-TV in Phoenix.

Payne, 29, was charged with one count of refusing to provide a truthful name and one count of making a false report to law enforcement. The incident stemmed from a disturbance in the early hours of the morning, leading officers to engage with Payne and another individual. Following the interaction, Payne was taken into custody, booked into Scottsdale’s city jail and later released.

The veteran guard recently concluded a season divided between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers, having been traded to Philadelphia on February 8. Throughout the season, Payne averaged 7.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

Before joining the 76ers, Payne played four seasons with the Phoenix Suns, contributing significantly to their Western Conference title win in 2021. Originally from Memphis, Payne played college basketball at Murray State before embarking on his professional career. His NBA journey has also included stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Payne’s arrest marks a challenging moment in what has otherwise been a journeyman career. Known for his energy and playmaking ability, Payne has carved out a niche as a reliable backup guard. However, this off-court incident could impact his standing with the 76ers and his future in the league.

The 76ers and the NBA have not yet released statements regarding Payne’s arrest. As the legal process unfolds, it remains to be seen how this will affect his career and his role with the team. For now, Payne’s immediate future is uncertain as he deals with the legal repercussions of the charges against him.

There was already bad blood between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers’ fan bases before their opening-round playoff series this year. Still, more conflict has surfaced in the media after the Knicks went through on Thursday.

When the Knicks won the series after an intense, gritty and back-and-forth game 6 in Wells Fargo Arena, 76ers fans let visiting Knicks fans know how they felt.

A video captured by the Philadelphia Inquirer showed what appears to be a Knicks fan being held back by security guards while trying to approach a Sixers fan at the entrance to seating sections 117 and 118.

The reporter Vaughn M. Johnson, who shot and posted the video, commented on the scene.

“It’s hella rowdy at the Wells Fargo Center tonight. Just saw a Knicks fan get thrown out of the arena… at halftime ,” before posting and captioning the video, “Like I said, hella rowdy.”

At halftime, the Sixers led 54-51 and had just recovered from a 22-point deficit. Buddy Hield‘s introduction boosted Sixers fans’ hopes, as he had caught the hot hand in the second quarter, making five three-pointers in 10 minutes. That’s likely why many Sixers fans shout “Budd Hield” in the video clip.

As the Knicks fan is pushed back and slowly removed from the stadium, Sixers fans clapped and cheered, and some yelled, “Oh s—” and “Holy s—.” Others yelled, “Get him the f— out of here,” as the large fellow was removed from the premises.

However, that entertainment would only last for a while for Sixers fans, as the Knicks came out on top. A clutch three-pointer from Josh Hart and a 41-point performance from Jalen Brunson saw the Knicks advance to the next round despite impressive plays from Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The Knicks are set to host the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, with game one scheduled for Monday at 7:30 p.m.

Such conflict is not to be expected in the Knicks-Pacers matchup, but it will be interesting nonetheless to see what fan stories the rest of the NBA playoffs can bring.

The New York Knicks sealed the series against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night in a thrilling Game 6 that ended 118-115 with a massive 41-point performance from star guard Jalen Brunson and a clutch three-pointer from Josh Hart.

A gritty, hard-fought and intense series in the Northeast played right into the Knicks’ basketball style. It felt even sweeter in Brunson’s hands.

Early on, it looked like the Knicks would run away with the game after opening a 17-4 lead and then extending it to as high as 22 points in the first half. Once shooting guard Buddy Hield came in off the bench for the Sixers, the game got a lot closer as Hield’s 17 points in the first half helped them take a four-point lead into the halftime break.

The second half brought everything fans have come to expect in this series – grit, physicality, intensity and remarkable shot-making from both teams.

Fourteen of Brunson’s game-high 41 points came in the fourth quarter, but the Sixers kept fighting back with plays from Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. It wasn’t until Hart’s three-pointer with 24.4 seconds left that the Knicks took control of the game.

The Knicks made their free throws down the stretch and held on to win the series 4-2 in Philadelphia despite a valiant Sixers effort.

Earlier that night, the Indiana Pacers secured their spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals, winning their series against the Milwaukee Bucks 4-2 on the road.

The Knicks and the Pacers will face off in New York in Game 1 on Monday as the number two and six seeds, competing for a spot in the Eastern Conference finals.

Meanwhile, the Sixers and the Bucks will look ahead to the offseason and begin to reform their rosters after another disappointing early exit for superstars Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Philadelphia 76ers looked ready to tie the series against the New York Knicks in Game 2 of their opening-round playoff series, leading 101-96 with 47 seconds left on Monday night. What followed was one of the craziest sequences in NBA playoff history.

Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson made a clutch three-pointer, and a tipped inbound pass led to a scramble for the ball, another Knicks possession, and then a Donte DiVincenzo three-pointer gave the Knicks a one-point lead, which they would hang on to for the remainder of the game to secure a 104-101 victory.

According to the NBA’s two-minute report, multiple officiating mistakes were made during the inbound sequence against the Sixers, leading to the loss.

With 27.2 seconds remaining, “an attempt to call a timeout by Coach Nurse (PHI) during this play is neither recognized nor granted by the officials.” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse grumbled about this after Game 2. “I called timeout,” Nurse explained. “The referee looked right at me and ignored me. Tyrese Maxey got the ball. I called timeout again. He ignored me again. Then the melee started.”

With 27 seconds remaining, “Brunson (NYK) pulls Maxey’s (PHI) jersey away from his body, which affects Maxey’s ability to secure the pass.” The referees did not call this pull, which affected Maxey as he attempted to secure the inbound pass Josh Hart tipped. It should have been a foul.

With 24.9 seconds remaining, “Hart (NYK) steps forward into Maxey’s (PHI) space and initiates lower body contact that causes Maxey to lose his balance and fall to the floor.” This should have been a foul as well, meaning the Knicks fouled Maxey twice on the way to their steal, but neither was called.

While these were the most critical mistakes made in the final seconds, the officials also missed others in crucial moments of the fourth quarter.

With 1:14 remaining, OG Anunoby committed a defensive three-second violation, which was not called. It didn’t matter when Maxey made a three-pointer five seconds later, though.

With 34.7 seconds remaining, Joel Embiid fouled DiVincenzo as he began his dribble. This no-call also worked out for New York in the end, as it led to Brunson’s three-pointer, which cut the Sixers’ lead down to 101-99.

Although the Sixers will not protest the result of Monday night’s game, they will file an official complaint with the league, per team spokesman John Clark. With these missed calls, the NBA’s last two-minute reports have declared Philadelphia the most disadvantaged team regarding officiating mistakes this season.

The Sixers will host the Knicks at home on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 1:00 p.m., trying to win their home games convincingly enough to make the officiating a non-factor and get back into the series.

Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined for 69 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ last-minute loss to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Both came into Monday as questionable with injury and illness, but Embiid’s 34, 10, 6 and Maxey’s 35, 9, 10 weren’t enough to win on the road. Philadelphia had a five-point lead with less than a minute to go, but a Josh Hart steal and a Donte DiVincenzo three-pointer helped the Knicks secure the victory and go up 2-0 in the series.

Despite having their two-star players and a late lead, the Sixers couldn’t hold off the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. One reason for the loss could also be the officiating, and the 76ers said they intend to file an official grievance with the NBA for multiple missed calls throughout the game. Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse had complaints about the referees after the game.

“I called timeout. The referee looked right at me and ignored me. It went into Tyrese. I called timeout again. Then the melee started,” Nurse said. “I guess I’ve got to run out on the floor or do something to get his attention. I needed a timeout to advance it. It would’ve been good. I couldn’t get it.”

Embiid, who played on Monday despite leaving Game 1 after being poked in the eye and dealing with a lingering knee injury, also raised questions about the officiating throughout the series. Regardless, he claimed the Sixers are still in a position to advance to the second round.

“We’re good,” Embiid said. “We’re going to win this series. We’re going to win this. …We’re the better team.”

Maxey missed the team’s morning shootaround and was questionable coming into Game 2 with an illness. Despite that, he led the team in points, defensive rebounds, assists and minutes, playing all but four minutes the entire night. He hit three three-pointers in the first quarter to help the Sixers grab an early seven-point lead, but along with Embiid, needed help to get the job done against the much more balanced Knicks team. Maxey and Embiid were the only players for Philadelphia to score more than 10 points on Monday night and are averaging a combined 65.5 points per game in the series, more than half of the team’s 102.5 playoff average.

For the Knicks, the Game 2 win was something they could have only dreamed of with a minute to play. They were down most of the night, shooting only 40.7% from the floor as a team, but had a solid second half to bring the game back within closing distance.

With 30 seconds left, Jalen Brunson hit a three-pointer to bring the lead down to two. Then, Hart stole the ball from Maxey on the inbound pass, feeding it to DiVincenzo to give New York the lead. DiVincenzo missed, but Isaiah Hartenstein came up with the offensive rebound, and the ball eventually got back to DiVincenzo, where he hit a three-pointer to take a one-point lead with 13 seconds left.

Hartenstein then blocked Maxey’s layup attempt with six seconds left, giving the Knicks the ball and two free throws. Maxey ran up the court for one final tying attempt and passed it to Embiid, who tried a last-second three-pointer but missed.

The Knicks finished the last 30 seconds of the game on an 8-0 run, as the first team in playoff history to win a game in regulation after being down by five with half a minute remaining. New York had five players score at least 10 points, with Brunson and Hart leading the way with stats of 24, 8, 6 and 21, 15, 3 respectively.

The Knicks won the first two games of the series at home but with an average margin of victory of just five points. The 76ers have been unhealthy but are still getting great performances out of their stars, and now have back-to-back games at home. New York still has the upper hand in the series but must take advantage of a short-staffed Sixers roster that relies heavily on their top talent. The Knicks have Brunson as their undoubted leader, but big games from Hart, DiVincenzo and Hartenstein, like on Monday, are the key to their success.

Game 3 of the series is on Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

After their 107-86 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon, the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team had to wait until Sunday night to find out who would be their playoff matchup based on the result between the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls.

The Knicks ended up clinching the number two seed in the Eastern Conference with a thrilling 120-119 win after Bulls’ star DeMar DeRozan missed a buzzer-beater. The Sixers were left with the same record as the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers, all at 47-35. The Magic clinched the fifth seed by winning the Southeast division, the three-way tiebreaker. The Pacers then took sixth, having won the season series over the Sixers 2-1, the head-to-head tiebreaker. So the Magic and Pacers clinched playoff positions, while the Sixers will host a play-in game against a competitive Miami Heat team despite winning eight games in a row to end the season. The Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks will face off in the second play-in matchup in the Eastern Conference.

“Obviously, we’ve had some great battles with them, and we always expect that facing them,” 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said after Sunday’s win about the prospect of the matchup with the Heat. The mindset is we’re playing well and doing everything we can, like we’ve been doing the last month of the year … digging in and playing our guys and doing whatever we have to, whatever we got to do to win.”

“We’ve got a good mindset, and we’ll take that into Wednesday,” Nurse said.

The winner of the Sixers-Heat matchup on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. will face the number two-seeded Knicks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. As a two-seed for the first time since 2013, the Knicks will only have it a little easier regardless of who they play. The Sixers will bring a healthy reigning MVP in Joel Embiid, and the Heat will get a similar team to the one who knocked them out of the playoffs in six second-round games last season.

Will this be the year for the Knicks? Or will the play-in game-winner between the Heat and the Sixers emerge as an underdog in the Eastern Conference semi-finals?

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has been out since late January following knee surgery but is set to return to the lineup this week. Embiid had left meniscus surgery after an injury in a January 30 loss to the Golden State Warriors but has ramped back up since then and is ready to make a return as the push for the playoffs begins.

Before his injury, the reigning league MVP was putting up numbers that had only been seen since Wilt Chamberlain.

From October through January, Embiid averaged a league-high 35.3 points per game, along with 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.8 blocks. He was also the only player since Chamberlain in 1962 to average more points than minutes played. Though he’s put up numbers that haven’t been seen this century, Embiid is unable to win any league awards because he won’t play the minimum 70% of games this year.

In the span without their star, the Sixers held a 29-17 record and were fifth in the East, but following his absence, the team is now 40-37 and eighth in the conference standings. Since Embiid’s injury, the team has gone 11-18 in February and March.

Point guard Tyrese Maxey has been leading the team in his place for Philadelphia. This year, as a first-time All-Star, Maxey is averaging a career-high 25.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists. Following the trade of James Harden and with Embiid out, Maxey has been the major factor for the Sixers’ season still being alive at all. Tobias Harris, averaging 17.2 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr., averaging 15 points, have also provided key roles for the team, but without Embiid they remain near the middle of the standings.

In the team’s last 10 games, they’ve gone 4-6 and have slowly fallen out of the top of the conference. Sitting four games ahead of the Chicago Bulls for eighth in the standings, the addition of Embiid will be a huge factor in the 76ers’ playoff push this month to get out of the 7-10 seeds forced into the NBA Play-In games.

Philadelphia currently has seven games left on its regular season schedule and will need to win as many as possible in order to make a deep playoff run. The team didn’t look like world-beaters with their star, but with the addition of Embiid and his almost impossible stat line this season, they need him to win the important games down the stretch. The Sixers play their next game on Tuesday night against the OKC Thunder, and Embiid might return for the first time in over two months for that game.

For the 76ers, every game this season now matters more than ever, and with Embiid returning from injury, they could make a run at just the right time.

NBA officials admitted to missing a foul call in the closing seconds of a game Wednesday night, which led the Los Angeles Clippers to a 108-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams are vying for better playoff positions deep in the regular season.

Referee Kevin Scott said in a pool report that the crew reviewed the final play after the game. They concluded that Clippers forward Paul George made contact with the 76ers’ Kelly Oubre Jr., who was driving to the basket in an attempt to score the winning basket.

“In real time the crew interpreted that play as the defender jumping vertically,” Scott said. “However, in post-game video review we did observe some slight drift to his left by the defender George, and a foul should have been ruled.”

With the defeat, the 76ers fell to 39-34 on the season, putting them in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and a half-game behind the Miami Heat. The Clippers improved to 45-27, keeping them in fourth in the Western Conference and providing some breathing room ahead of the Pelicans and Mavericks.

76ers coach Nick Nurse vigorously fought with referees during the game and still expressed dismay for multiple calls afterward. By then, however, he seemed to accept the officiating error as a part of the game.

“I looked it on our computer screen a couple times [and] I thought there was certainly contact,” Nurse said. “Certainly as much as the last two or three that got called and-1s at the other end. And that’s all. I just thought it was enough contact to call. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

With most of the regular season behind both teams, the 76ers and Clippers seem destined to very different postseason paths. Philadelphia, which has underperformed with reigning MVP Joel Embiid on the roster, could face a Play-In Tournament series if the team doesn’t make up ground quickly. The Clippers have a safer postseason berth but will have to navigate an extremely competitive Western Conference to reach the Finals.

Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the 2023-24 regular season due to lingering issues from a back injury. The three-time All-Star has struggled to stay healthy for most of his career and has only appeared in 57 games since the 2021-22 season.

“Ben Simmons will remain out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back,” the Nets said in a statement. “Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health.”

After going first overall in the 2016 NBA Draft and missing his entire first season with an injury, Simmons became a fixture of the resurgent Philadelphia 76ers at the turn of the decade. Along with reigning MVP Joel Embiid, Simmons was quickly becoming a key member of a young championship contender.

Despite his earlier success, many were quick to criticize Simmons, claiming that his Rookie of the Year award was not deserved because it was technically his second season. Others consistently questioned his short-range shooting style in a league increasingly geared toward three-pointers.

For many fans already critical of Simmons, his performance at the end of the 2020-21 season was a sort of affirmation. The point guard performed exceptionally poorly during the 76ers’ playoff run, becoming the worst free-throw shooter in postseason history. In the team’s Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons did not attempt a shot in the final quarter of five games, including Game 7 when the team lost in an upset as the first seed.

Simmons became a scapegoat among 76ers fans, who readily blamed him for the team’s failures. The team’s former rising star responded in famously cryptic fashion, holding out for the 2021-22 season and claiming to have a back injury. He was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a trade that also included James Harden. The trade accomplished very little for both teams in retrospect, but with Simmons as the direct counterbalance to Harden, the Nets received shockingly little in the deal.

Simmons has since spent two seasons in Brooklyn, during which the team has completely given up its championship pursuits for the moment. He has only managed to appear in a limited capacity as his back injury and other ailments have severely impacted his production, even when he has been healthy enough to play.

This latest development makes Simmons’ future even murkier and could signal the end of his career. He has one year remaining on his current contract and would receive $40 million, far beyond his current value if he can compete in the 2024-25 season.

The Philadelphia 76ers have tumbled from contention for the first seed in the Eastern Conference to now avoiding the dreaded play-in game(s).

With Philly’s playoff chances slipping away, the return of their best player is needed now more than ever. 

Superstar center and reigning 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid has “started on-court workouts” nearly a month after a meniscus injury he suffered in early February, according to ESPN’s Katie George. He has been lifting weights equivalent to what he had been lifting before the injury, indicating he is on a positive path to full recovery.

Embiid had a lateral meniscus injury during a Jan. 30 match against the Golden State Warriors. He faced an uncertain timetable to return, but it seems that the first re-evaluation four weeks after the injury brought good news to Embiid and the Sixers.

In 34 games, Embiid averaged a stunning 35.3 points per game, 11.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He has proved to be irreplaceable, as the Sixers have gone only 6-8 since he last played. Even with Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris, the team is just not the same without their superstar. Sitting at 35-26 and the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia has their work cut out for them to salvage their season and continue a run that many fans thought could be a championship-caliber squad.

On Feb. 29, during Embiid’s first press conference since the injury, he was asked if he would return this season. His answer? “Everything has to go right as far as getting healthy and being as close as I’m supposed to be,” he told the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. “But yeah, that’s the plan.”

The Philadelphia 76ers finalized a trade Thursday to send guard Patrick Beverley to the Milwaukee Bucks for guard Cameron Payne and a 2027 second-round pick. The exchange of bench options wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy if it weren’t between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

By acquiring Beverley, a veteran most known for his hard-nosed defense and trash-talking, could be an attempt by the Bucks to kickstart their locker room after a recent skid. Since parting ways with coach Adrian Griffin, the team has gone 1-4.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo complained earlier in the season that the team had issues with effort and focus, and it seems that those struggles have persevered under new coach Doc Rivers. The team is now third in the Eastern Conference standings with a 33-18 record.

The 76ers, meanwhile, hold a 30-20 record but have not yet established themselves as the championship contender many expected them to be before the season. Even with reigning MVP Joel Embiid producing at an elite level, the team has been overshadowed in the East by the likes of the Cavaliers and Knicks, teams that Philadelphia has routinely outperformed in recent years. The Sixers are currently fifth in the conference, putting them out of reach of old rivals like the Celtics or Bucks for now.

Based on Beverley’s reputation, many will focus on Milwaukee’s side of the trade. Beverley has made a name for himself as a scrappy player, which could benefit the Bucks, who have developed an undesirable role as the conference’s sleeping giant.

But while Beverley could help his new team on and off the floor, Payne could also be an interesting addition for Philadelphia. The 29-year-old journeyman has had next to no playing time in Milwaukee behind Damian Lillard and others, but in four seasons in Phoenix, he proved reliable off the bench and could find a similar niche again with more opportunities.