PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tyrese Maxey and his 76ers teammates sent feelers out to Joel Embiid about the recovering All-Star center attending the play-in game.
Embiid had been absent since his emergency appendectomy last week and the Sixers thought it would lift his spirits if he was part of their playoff push. Unsure of his answer hours ahead of tipoff Wednesday night against Orlando, Embiid surprised his teammates by walking into the locker room about an hour before the game. He provided an emotional boost to Maxey and the Sixers just by showing up.
“I gave him a big hug,” Maxey said. “I was glad to see him.”
Maxey took over in the fourth quarter, much the way Embiid did in so many crucial games over the years.
Maxey scored 31 points, and V.J. Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds in the Sixers' 109-97 win over the Magic that gave Philadelphia the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Sixers begin their first-round series Sunday at Boston.
Maxey, named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, scored seven straight points late in the fourth to help the Sixers put away the Magic.
“It was just me deciding I wanted to be aggressive,” Maxey said. “I had some really good looks that I missed early in the third, that I made in the first half. So I was just really confident I was going to make some shots.”
Maxey — the Sixers' career 3-point leader — hit three 3s and made 11 of 25 shots as the Sixers made the playoffs a year after they went 24-58.
“He's been doing a bit of that lately as far as understanding we need kind of his greatness at the right time,” coach Nick Nurse said.
The Sixers had leaned on Embiid's greatness over the years — but also came to understand that playing without the oft-injured former MVP is part of the deal in Philadelphia.
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The team hasn't given a timetable for Embiid's return from his appendectomy. The two-time scoring champion sat in on a video session Wednesday and watched the game from the bench.
Maxey is going to need to excel for the Sixers to have a shot against the Celtics.
Sixers fans chanted “We want Boston!” in the waning moments, but it might be best to pay heed to series history — the 76ers have lost their last six playoff series against the Celtics. Philadelphia last topped Boston in a series in 1982.
That's a worry for the next practice. Maxey walked off the court to a roaring crowd — including Allen Iverson — and teammates swarmed him to show their appreciation.
“I promised some guys we were going to get in the playoffs,” Maxey said.
One bright spot out of last season's dismal finish was getting the No. 3 pick in the draft. The Sixers — who drafted a string of busts during their lengthy rebuild — appear to have made a wise move by selecting Edgecombe out of Baylor.
The 20-year-old opened the season with 34 points against Boston, the third-most points for an NBA player in his first game. He was just as impressive in his first play-in game with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Edgecombe was whistled for taunting after a dunk in the third quarter and officials had to separate the teams.
“I was tweaking a little bit tonight,” Edgecombe said. “I guess it happens when you let a kid play such a high-intensity game. I was out there having fun. If I've got to play wild for us to win, I'll play wild.”
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