PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 43 points, including eight straight during a crucial stretch of the fourth quarter, and rookie V.J. Edgecomb added 26 points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Joel Embiid-less Orlando Magic 136-124 to improve to 3-0.
Embiid, the 2023 MVP and two-time scoring champion, was sidelined to rest his surgically repaired left knee. After playing just 19 games last season, Embiid played the first two under a 20-minute limit.
Philadelphia has done just fine without its star center. Maxey followed with a 3-pointer to the basket with just over a minute left to give the 76ers a comfortable 12-point lead. He averages 37.0 points per game. Edgecomb, the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, continues to impress and has scored 75 points in three games. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 25 points.
Paolo Banchero scored 32 points to lead the Magic, who opened a 10-day, five-game road trip with their third straight loss. Desmond Bane scored 24 points and Franz Wagner added 22.
The Sixers' Andre Drummond finished with six rebounds, becoming the 32nd player in NBA history with at least 11,000 rebounds.
Anthony Black converted a three-quarter court shot at the third-quarter buzzer to bring the Magic within 101-94.
Further
Magic: At Detroit on Wednesday.
76ers: At Washington on Tuesday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
