By Aaron Bracy
PHILADELPHIA — Tyrese Maxey scored 43 points, including eight straight during a crucial fourth-quarter stretch, and VJ Edgecombe added 26 points as the 76ers beat the Orlando Magic 136-124 without Joel Embiid to improve to 3-0.
Embiid, the 2023 MVP and two-time scoring champ, was sidelined to rest his surgically repaired left knee. After playing in just 19 games last season, Embiid played the first two with a restriction of 20 minutes.
Philadelphia did just fine without its star center. Maxey followed a 3-pointer with a driving basket with just over a minute left that gave the 76ers a comfortable 12-point advantage. He is averaging 37.0 points per game. Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in the NBA draft, continues to impress and has 75 points through three games. Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 25 points.
Paolo Banchero had 32 points to pace the Magic, who opened a five-game, 10-day trip with their third consecutive loss. Desmond Bane chipped in with 24 points and Franz Wagner added 22.
The Sixers’ Andre Drummond finished with six rebounds, becoming the 32nd player in NBA history to record at least 11,000 rebounds.
Anthony Black drained a three-quarter-court shot at the third-quarter buzzer to pull the Magic within 101-94.
Up next
76ers: At Washington Tuesday night.
