The Philadelphia 76ers made a brief stop in Memphis amidst a five-game holiday road trip. After three straight losses and with their Big 3 taking the court for just the fifth time this season, the Sixers were in dire need of a win heading into 2026.
Philadelphia's last win with Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey all on the court came nearly a year ago today, on Jan. 4, against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Grizzlies would be without several contributors, but still boasted the talents of Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant, and electric rookie Cedric Coward, all of whom made the Sixers work feverishly for this overtime win.
Offense. Namely, Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, who combined for 68 points.
Tyrese Maxey was relentless to begin the game, firing back against a furious start by the Grizzlies for 12 first-quarter points.
Finishing the night with an efficient 34 points, Maxey's performance helped to lead the way for the Sixers, as he has all season.
Joel Embiid, whose season has been admittedly uneven, enjoyed one of his best games this season. Consistent defensive effort remains a work in progress, but offensively, Embiid looked comfortable and, more importantly, seemed to be enjoying himself in this game.
Embiid, for better and worse, is an emotional player. He thrives playing the villain — or more accurately, troll — enjoys his own success, and when he's in rhythm and feeling very much himself, Embiid remains a dangerous threat on both ends, dropping 34 points in this game.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe contributed 25 points of his own, including 16 between the fourth quarter and overtime and the biggest shot of the night, a game-winning three-pointer in the closing seconds of overtime.
The 2025 Draft's third overall pick worked hard throughout the game to match the production of fellow first-year Cedric Coward, who scored 28 points of his own, but unlike Edgecombe, came up short in his clutch three-point attempt.
Defensive struggles continue to bedevil the Sixers.
The Grizzlies, who came into this game as the NBA's 25th-ranked offense, exploded for 40 first-quarter points and finished with 136 points, 124 in regulation.
For all of his offensive success, Embiid remains an inconsistent defender at best this season. Once his calling card, the days of Embiid as an elite defender are understandably gone, but Philadelphia will need more on that end, especially as they reach the thick of the season.
The team will also need Paul George to find his rhythm; his complete offensive rhythm. While tonight's poor three-point performance is an anomaly compared to recent games, he's struggled mightily inside the arc all season.
Inside the paint, George shot just 41% coming into the night and a combined 32% from both sides of the low block.
George's poor shooting sank the Sixers in this game, and he simply has to be better moving forward, which he's shown he's certainly capable of at times this season.
The Sixers will next travel to Dallas for a New Year's Day matchup against Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks.
Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. as two of the top three picks in the 2025 face off.
