Without Joel Embiid in the mix, the Philadelphia 76ers needed a superstar performance out of their two-time All-Star guard, Tyrese Maxey, on Wednesday.
Hosting the Orlando Magic for the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament’s battle for the No. 7 seed, the Sixers needed just one win, and they are in the playoffs.
While shorthanded, the Sixers got the job done. A strong performance from Tyrese Maxey got the Sixers exactly where they needed to go.
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – FEBRUARY 09: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers walks backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on February 09, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Maxey checked in for 42 minutes on Wednesday night. The star guard shot 11-25 from the field and knocked down 3-9 shots from beyond the arc. He scored a team-high 31 points. The veteran guard also racked up six assists, two rebounds, one steal, and one block.
NBA World Erupts Over Tyrese Maxey’s Game vs Orlando
Here’s what NBA fans on X had to say about Maxey’s performance:
Sleeper76ers: PLAYED LIKE A STAR âï¸
CKildim: Maxey just stamped his star status tonight ð¤ð¥
Jami_Atta313: Maxey carried hard man, absolute superstar performance tonight
JorBorDorVor3: Let the praise be as loud as the disrespect
SportsCenter: VJ MAXX IN THE PLAYOFFS. THE PRICE JUST WENT UP ð°
Philadelphia 76ers Are Heading To The Playoffs
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 22: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during a game against the Houston Rockets at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
With Wednesday’s 109-97 Sixers win over the Magic, Philadelphia is heading to the playoffs for a first-round series against the Boston Celtics.
For Maxey, it will be the second time in his career he faces the Celtics in the postseason. It didn’t go the way the Sixers had hoped the first time around, as the Sixers lost in seven games in round two.
This time around, Maxey will be playing a bigger role. Not only is James Harden out of the picture, but Joel Embiid might be as well. Before the regular season concluded, Embiid underwent surgery. His timeline for a return is unclear.
Either way, the Sixers will rely on Maxey. The two-time NBA All-Star is a face of the franchise and is coming off a career year.
Before the Play-In, Maxey appeared in 70 games for the 76ers. He averaged a league-leading 38.0 minutes per game. The star guard produced 28.3 points per game, while shooting 46.2% from the field and hitting on 36.7% of his threes.
Maxey also averaged 4.1 rebounds per game, along with 6.6 assists per game.
The star guard looks forward to returning to the playoffs after the Sixers missed out last season.
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