The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to turn their season around in any way possible. And they just might get over their four-game skid tonight. How, you ask? Well, for one, Tyrese Maxey is confirmed to take the floor tonight against the Grizzlies! Given neither Paul George nor Joel Embiid are in the injury report, this will mark the first time the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ will have their Big 3 on the floor together.

Tweeting the encouraging update was Tony Jones of The Athletic. Taking to X, he wrote just seven words. But man, were those the best words any Sixers fan could ever hear! “Maxey will be in the starting lineup”

The 24-year-old is returning from a 6-game absence because of a hamstring strain. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Philly has struggled in the young All-Star’s absence. While the team’s win-loss record looks bad, of course, the numbers in itself tell a different story.

Without Maxey, the Sixers’ offensive struggles become glaring. They average just 98.8 points per game without him—a significant drop from the 107.1 points per game they score with him in the lineup. That nearly 10-point gap highlights how crucial his scoring ability is to the team’s success.

It’s not just the points, though.

When Tyrese is not on the floor, Philly averages 23.2 assists per game, compared to 19.6 assists when he’s on the floor. Now, at first glance, this might seem like a drop in the ball movement. But it reflects Maxey’s ability to create his own shot. His scoring threat allows the team to generate points directly through his drives, pull-ups, or transition play, which might not always come up in the assists column.

Furthermore, the Sixers average slightly fewer rebounds with Maxey on the floor (39.0 per game) compared to without him (40.8 per game). While this might seem concerning, it’s important to note that rebounding numbers can reflect how the game flows. When the Kentucky alum is playing, the Sixers’ offense is more efficient, shooting better percentages (43.5% from the field compared to 41.9% without him).

This means fewer missed shots and fewer opportunities for offensive rebounds. On the defensive end, his speed and ability to push the ball in transition might lead to quicker outlet plays rather than battling for contested boards. In short, Tyrese Maxey isn’t just a scoring option – the young guard is a catalyst for the team’s overall performance. It’s not surprising that he has taken the role with complete zealousness. Particularly considering his locker room exchange with Embiid.

Tyrese Maxey had words with Joel Embiid post-tough Heat loss

This is an incident no doubt all of you are well versed with by now. After the terribly disappointing defeat at the hands of Miami, Kyle Lowry called for an emergency meeting, per Shams Charania. Lowry’s reason, per the ESPN senior insider, was “a much-needed heart-to-heart and a call to action and urgency.” Well, Maxey did not disappoint, because he reportedly got everything off his chest.

“In the meeting, Maxey challenged Embiid to be on time to team activities, calling out the former league MVP about being late ‘for everything’ and how it impacts the locker room, from other players to the coaching staff,” Charania tweeted.

While it certainly became viral very fast, it seems the exchange wasn’t as over the top as it seemed. And we have the former Sixer, Lou Williams, vouching for Philly. In his appearance on Run It Back, Williams revealed that he ended up on a call with a few Sixers players and the truth of the matter is different from what is being portrayed.

“From my understanding, they just had a conversation on accountability… It wasn’t as much of Tyrese Maxey challenging Joel Embiid as it’s been stated … By all accounts, those guys are doing just fine. They were sitting next to each other when we were on the phone, laughing and giggling and having a good time, and trying to get this team back on the same page. So, that from what I understand, that was the context of the conversation, not as much of the negative stuff that’s trying to come out,” Lou explained.

Well, one thing is clear – Tyrese Maxey is emerging as a key leader for the 76ers now. His return and leadership will, no doubt, be crucial for their success. With the Big 3 on the floor tonight, we hope this is the start of a turnaround. The Philly side’s performance tonight against the Grizzlies could be the first sign of that much-needed momentum shift.