Report: Maxey challenged Embiid during Sixers postgame team meeting originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
2-11 Sixers held an extended team meeting Monday evening after their loss against the Heat.
Tuesday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that guard Kyle Lowry, 38, called the meeting. Charania described it as “a much-needed one-on-one and a call to action and urgency” and reported that All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey “challenged” All-Star center Joel Embiid.
“During the meeting, Maxey challenged Embiid to be on time for team activities, calling out the former league MVP about being late ‘for everything’ and its impact on the locker room, from other players to the coaching staff,” Charania reported.
Maxey has been out for the Sixers’ last six games due to a right hamstring strain, but he has traveled with the Sixers and has been a remarkably active vocal presence on the sideline. He is “expected to return” Wednesday against the Grizzlies or Friday against the Nets, ESPN reported.
Maxey and Embiid have yet to share the floor in the Sixers’ dreadful first 13 games. Embiid was first listed as out due to “recovering from left knee injury.” He was then suspended three games for shoving Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes in the Sixers locker room.
Despite being listed as questionable due to an illness preceding Monday’s game, Embiid played in Miami and scored just 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting. In his first three games, he averaged 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. The seven-time All-Star shot 32.4 percent from the field and 15.4 percent from 3-point range. He called himself “extremely rusty” and “a little shy” after his return against the Knicksand these words remained true.
Charania noted that Embiid and Maxey “have a close friendship and have a history of holding each other accountable.”
“Embiid agreed with the messages sent in the meeting…but he said he was confused about what the 76ers are trying to execute on the field sometimes,” Charania reported.
The Sixers are tied for the The worst record in the NBA and I have the one from the league lowest offensive rating. They rank 29th in three-point percentage (31.6) and last in 3-point “open” percentage (25.6%).
“There are a lot of good things happening defensively, even though we are playing at such a disadvantage,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters in Miami. “We are playing against the transition so much, but there is still a lot of good communication and good projects. …Again, I’m just trying to reiterate those things and just trying to reiterate some of the things we need to improve on.
“Offensively, moving the ball, staying in execution, that type of thing. And then making these guys believe that they’re better shooters and better scorers than they’re showing right now, and we need them to step up and do that.
Embiid attributed many of the Sixers’ offensive struggles Friday to the team’s newness.
“We’ve had a lot of adversity so far – I missed the first two games, (Paul George) missed the first two games, now Rese is out,” Embiid said after the game. The Sixers fell to the Magic. “I think the most important factor is that we have a lot of new players. You can see it on the field, it’s going to take a while to get everyone on the same page and knowing what we need to do offensively.
“When I have the ball or when someone (else) has the ball, when we have to cut or where we have to be… just be together. But on the defensive side, we’re doing pretty well, I think on the offensive side, that’s what happens when you’ve had a lot of injuries and 95 percent of your team is new.
Charania reported that Sixers players told Nurse during Monday’s meeting that “they want to be trained harder, and the coaches in turn said they want the players to train with determination and attention to the details.”
The Sixers will finish their three-game road trip Wednesday in Memphis.
