Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
Tyrese Maxey scored 43 points, including eight straight during a crucial fourth-quarter stretch, and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 26 points as the 76ers beat the Orlando Magic 136-124 without Joel Embiid to improve to 3-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season. 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 games with a restriction of 20 minutes. » READ MORE: Jared McCain puts on a shooting display, Joel Embiid sits out against the Magic, and more The Sixers did just fine without him. Maxey followed a three-pointer with a driving basket with just over a minute left that gave the 76ers a comfortable 12-point advantage. Maxey is averaging 37 points through three games. 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 The Sixers will travel to face the Washington Wizards on the second night of a back-to-back on Tuesday (7 p.m., NBCSP). Orlando will continue its road trip with a matchup at the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
