Flirting with disaster may have saved 76ers' season after stars clash

The Philadelphia 76ers are officially sounding the alarm and entering panic mode. 13 games into the 2024-25 regular season, Philadelphia has the worst record in the NBA at 2-11 and have lost nine of their past 10 outings.

That all came to a head after the 76ers blew a 19-point lead and somehow lost by 17, falling 106-89 to the 6-7 Miami Heat.

The loss continued what's been one of the most frustrating seasons of the Joel Embiid era. The team's new Big Three has yet to play a game together, with all of Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey missing time at various points in 2024-25.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, veteran point guard Kyle Lowry attempted to right the ship following the loss to Miami by calling a team meeting—and Maxey immediately called Embiid out for his lackadaisical approach to team matters.

"Maxey challenged Embiid to be on time to team activities, calling out the 2022-23 league MVP about being late "for everything" and how it impacts the locker room, from other players to the coaching staff, sources briefed on the meeting told ESPN. Maxey and Embiid have a close friendship and a history of holding each other accountable, according to those around the team."

Charania also revealed that the players have asked head coach Nick Nurse to hold them accountable with stricter practices and a more intense style of coaching—changes Embiid reportedly approved of.

"Players told 76ers coach Nick Nurse they want to be coached harder, and coaches in turn said they want players to practice with purpose and attention to detail. Embiid accepted the messages sent in the meeting, sources said, but he stated that he is sometimes confused about what the 76ers are attempting to execute on the court."

It's difficult to stomach the 2-11 start to the 2024-25 season, let alone envision a clear path forward, but this could be the beginning of a desperately needed shift in culture and accountability.

Tyrese Maxey calls out Joel Embiid, sets 76ers on path toward recovery

Philadelphia has been unimaginably bad in 2024-25, recording the third-worst point differential in the NBA at minus-9.0. They're 1-5 at home and 1-6 on the road, and have scored fewer than 100 points in three of the past five outings.

It's easy to point the finger at the injuries the team has sustained, but Charania's report reveals how much deeper the problems in Philadelphia run.

Embiid has missed 10 games, while both George and Maxey have missed six. Embiid showing up late to what Maxey described as, "Everything," paints a clear picture of the type of culture that's been established early in the 2024-25 season—and perhaps in previous years, as well.

The fact that the 76ers have a player who's willing to stand up to Embiid is a promising sign, however, especially when one considers that it's the type of relationship they've deliberately cultivated.

Injuries will continue to be an issue moving forward, as will general availability during back-to-backs. What the 76ers can control in the meantime, however, is the level of focus and intent they operate with behind the scenes.

That begins with the franchise player, whom Maxey has thankfully called out, and the head coach, whom the players are all asking more of.

It's understandable for fans to panic, but it's better for this team meeting to have transpired in November than at some point in 2025. There's more than enough time for the 76ers to get back on track and make a run for the playoffs, especially when one considers that they're just 3.0 games back of a place in the Play-In Tournament despite their 2-11 start.

The 76ers clearly have grander ambitions than making it through the Play-In Tournament, but the team meeting that Lowry called was the first in the many incremental steps that can be taken toward salvaging the 2024-25 campaign.

It's not very sunny in Philadelphia, but every turnaround has to start somewhere.