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First Hornets road trip sees clash with Maxey, Embiid, and a record-breaking rookie

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Albert Bottcher | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 9:17 AM ET

If you're a lover of good basketball and even better storylines, tonight's matchup is the one for you. Both the Charlotte Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers won their first game of the new season and will do their best to keep the good vibes going.

While LaMelo, Miller, and company won their home opener against the Nets 136-117, Philadelphia edged out the Celtics 117-116 thanks to a late fourth-quarter surge. Paul George sat out the season opener with a knee injury and will not be available tonight either.

Former MVP Joel Embiid started, but looked far from his old self, as you'd expect from someone who has gone through as many injuries and subsequent surgeries as he has in recent years. Former Hornet Kelly Oubre Jr., always good for a bunch of points, contributed only ten.

Instead, Tyrese Maxey (40 points / 6 assists) led the team in scoring, tying a 76ers franchise record for points in a season opener. The right-handed guard got to his spots regularly, and a look at his shot chart indicates the Hornets would be smart to force him to his left.

Close behind Maxey was rookie V.J. Edgecombe, who tallied 34 points and 7 rebounds. His 14 first-quarter points were the most in an NBA debut ever, and his points total ranked third for debutants in NBA history behind only Frank Selvy (1954) and Wilt Chamberlain (1959)!

So in short, you'll get to see:

Two unbeaten teams.
Two top-five picks from this year's draft in Knueppel and Edgecombe.
Some of the league's most exciting young stars in Ball, Miller, and Maxey.
The Hornets go up against former teammate Kelly Oubre Jr.
Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner try their hand at Joel Embiid

And above all else, it's the Hornets' chance to start the season 2-0 and break a ten-game losing streak against the Sixers.

Key to the game: Containing the break

For the Hornets to win their second game of the campaign for the first time since 2021, they will have to contain Philadelphia's fastbreaks. Charles Lee's squad did a good job stopping Brooklyn a few days ago, only allowing five (!) total fastbreak points.

Meanwhile, the 76ers put up 21 quick ones against Boston. The athletic backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe is going to push the pace after defensive rebounds and will expose any openings that the Hornets allow.

Projected Starting Lineups

Injury Report

For the Charlotte Hornets, the injury report is:

OUT: Josh Green (left shoulder surgery) and Grant Williams (right knee surgery)

For the Philadelphia 76ers:

OUT: Paul George (left knee surgery), Jared McCain (right thumb surgery), Trendon Watford (left hamstring tightness) Probable: Justin Edwards (right rib soreness)