The Philadelphia 76ers have been the biggest disappointment in the NBA through the first month of the season. The team is now 2-11 after their loss to the Miami Heat on Monday night, and are tied with the Washington Wizards for the worst record in the entire league. The team is counting on two of its star players to turn things around before it’s too late, but Tyrese Maxey has apparently taken exception to some of the habits of Joel Embiid.
Maxey Calls Out Embiid During 76ers Team Meeting
The brutal start has been a major cause for concern for the team. After the loss on Monday, veteran guard Kyle Lowry called a team meeting in order to spark some urgency and life into the 76ers, during which Maxey was able to air out some of his concerns.
After falling to 2-11, Philly called for a team meeting where Tyrese Maxey “challenged Embiid” to start showing up on time more for team activities, per @ShamsCharania
Tyrese “loves” Embiid but this has been the “elephant in the room”
Full story here: https://t.co/SEXgbDEx8v pic.twitter.com/9iMrfSo5Z0
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 19, 2024
According to ESPN, most of his issues had to do with the team’s star center. Maxey apparently called out Embiid for “being late to everything”, and that it ultimately affects the entire locker room, from the coaches on down to the players. Embiid was reportedly accepting of Maxey’s message, as the two have a history of holding one another accountable. Per the source, Maxey felt as though Embiid’s tardiness was the “elephant in the room”.
Embiid Has Played In Just 3 Games So Far
As has typically been the case throughout his career, Embiid has been in and out of the lineup during the first 13 games for the 76ers. He missed the first 9 games of the season while both rehabbing a nagging injury and serving a suspension for shoving a reporter. He has played in just three games so far this season, and is averaging fewer than 15 points per. Philadelphia is 0-3 in the games that he has played.
The only positive going forward for the team is the state of the Eastern Conference. Despite their poor record, the 76ers are only 3 games behind the 10th seed and final play-in spot, and 4 games behind the 6th seed. They’ll try to turn things around this week and into the weekend, as they’ll play three straight at home after taking on the Grizzlies in Memphis on Wednesday.
