Tyrese Maxey Dropped 31 Without Embiid and Now the Sixers Are Headed to Boston for an NBA-Record 23rd Playoff Series
Joel Embiid wasn’t on the floor Wednesday night. He’s recovering from an appendectomy and hasn’t played in weeks. But the Sixers didn’t need him — because Tyrese Maxey decided to handle it himself.
Maxey scored 31 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter when the game was still tight, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Orlando Magic 109-97 to lock up the 7-seed in the Eastern Conference. VJ Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds in one of the best games of his young career, and Kelly Oubre Jr. knocked down 5 threes for 19 of his own.
Philly is headed to the playoffs. And their reward? A first-round series against the Boston Celtics — the 23rd time these two franchises have met in the postseason. No other NBA matchup has even reached 16.
Maxey Took Over When It Mattered
The game was actually close heading into the fourth. Desmond Bane had a game-high 34 for the Magic and kept Orlando in it with tough shot after tough shot. But Maxey went on a personal 7-0 run midway through the fourth that turned a one-possession game into a double-digit lead. That was the ballgame.
Maxey has been carrying Philly all season — averaging over 28 points per game and earning an All-Star nod — and Wednesday was no different. Without Embiid, without their full roster, he still found a way to be the best player on the floor. That’s what stars do.
Edgecombe was the X-factor, though. The young wing grabbed 11 boards, played over 40 minutes, and gave Philly the kind of energy and athleticism they’ve been missing since Embiid went down. If he keeps playing like this in the first round, Boston is going to have problems.
Orlando Falls to Do-or-Die Friday
For the Magic, it’s not over yet — but it’s close. They dropped to the Play-In losers bracket and will host the Charlotte Hornets tonight at 7:30 on Prime Video. Winner gets the 8-seed and faces the Detroit Pistons. Loser goes home.
Bane was outstanding in the loss, and Paolo Banchero has been playing well down the stretch, but Orlando’s season has been defined by inconsistency. They’ve lost their last three games, and the Magic’s defensive identity — which was supposed to be their calling card — has disappeared at the worst possible time.
If Orlando can beat Charlotte tonight, they’ll at least have a chance to reset in a first-round series. But if they lose, it’ll be a crushing end to a season that had legitimate playoff expectations.
Sixers-Celtics: The Rivalry That Never Ends
Twenty-three playoff series. That’s more than any other matchup in NBA history by a mile. The Celtics and Sixers have been going at it since the 1960s — Wilt vs. Russell, Dr. J vs. Bird, Iverson vs. Pierce, and now Maxey vs. Tatum.
Boston is the 2-seed and will have home-court advantage starting Sunday. They’re the deeper team, the more experienced team, and the defending 2024 champions still have the infrastructure to make a deep run. But Philly has Maxey, who isn’t afraid of the moment, and they’ve got nothing to lose.
If Embiid can get back at some point during the series — even in a limited role — this matchup gets really interesting. But even without him, the Sixers just proved they can beat good teams when their backs are against the wall. Boston should be paying attention.
