On the second night of a back-to-back against the Toronto Raptors, the Philadelphia 76ers found their footing, thanks to the return of Joel Embiid and Paul George.
The Sixers were electric in the first half, allowing the team to cruise to a 115-102 victory on Monday night and giving Kyle Lowry an opportunity to bid his many fans in Toronto one final farewell.
Lowry is the second all-time leading scorer in Raptors franchise history, first in assists, steals, and threes made, and he also played a crucial role in the team's lone NBA Championship, which he won under now-Sixers head coach Nick Nurse in 2019.
The 39-year-old point guard soaked in the applause as his team enjoyed a much-needed victory.
In the first half of the back-to-back, the Sixers came up small in the most pivotal moments, turning the ball over 12 times in the fourth quarter and overtime. From the tip on night two, Philadelphia was a completely different team, due to the return of Embiid and George, but also a red-hot start by Tyrese Maxey.
With 18 points on six of seven shooting from the field, Maxey was electric from the opening tip. The young star, dubbed the franchise by Joel Embiid, is averaging 30.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.7 assists this season, along with 1.9 steals per game — the fourth most in the NBA.
Maxey's leap is the latest in a seemingly never-ending series of developments. Every year, Maxey comes in with either a brand new skill or a sizable improvement in one or more areas of the game.
After the game, Maxey contributed much of his development as a leader to Lowry.
"He's helped me so much, man. We talk at least five times a day. It's probably kind of like, as soon as he got here, he just told me, 'Listen, man, I'm here for you, whatever you need me to do, whatever you need from me, I'm here for you every single day.' And he's been that way every single day, no matter what. And it's not just basketball, it's life — my family, his family — and it's going to be that way forever, that's just real love, and I appreciate it."
While Maxey kicked the game off, and Lowry was the story by the end of the night, the meat of the game featured some truly impressive basketball by Embiid.
Despite his seven turnovers, Embiid thrived in this matchup with impactful play on both ends. While he's not the rim protector he once was, the former MVP continues to round into form, and the Sixers' defense is extremely different when he's on the court compared to minutes featuring Andre Drummond or Adem Bona.
Embiid's resurgence is snowballing: each quality performance increases his confidence, which in turn improves his approach, leading to even better play. Those who have the chance should buy Embiid stock while they can, and to those who never sold, enjoy the fruits of your faith.
With 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, Embiid made his presence felt, overcoming the sore adductor that kept him out of Sunday night's game. The difference between a Sixers team with and without Embiid is stark and unquestionable.
While his play and health remaining at their current levels are anything but guaranteed, the Sixers are showing just how much of a threat they could be in the Eastern Conference, and they have a chance to prove it more later this week.
Philadelphia returns home for a six-game stretch, beginning with two games in three nights against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell and company are coming off a loss to the Utah Jazz and are looking to climb the Eastern Conference standings much like the Sixers.
With a game and a half lead over the seventh-seeded Cavaliers, the Sixers will have an opportunity to create some extra distance between themselves and the play-in tournament.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
