Center Joel Embiid (21), guard Tyrese Maxey and the rest of the 76ers are cratering early in the season. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sixers' disastrous season just hit a new low

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated Nov 19, 2024 1:50 PM ET

The Philadelphia 76ers are an NBA-worst 2-11, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey still haven't played a game together and now the locker room is falling apart at the seams.

What a nightmare for 76ers fans.

According to a report from Shams Charania of ESPN, veteran guard Kyle Lowry called an emergency team meeting after Philadelphia's 106-89 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday night. During the meeting, Maxey called out Embiid about being late "for everything" and how it impacts the locker room, from other players to the coaching staff, a source told Charania.

Players urged Nick Nurse to coach them harder, while coaches in turn told the players they need to "practice with purpose and attention to detail." Even Embiid brought up some issues, reportedly stating he's "sometimes confused about what the 76ers are attempting to execute on the court."

For a Sixers franchise that specializes in drama, this season is quickly approaching new heights less than a month in. https://t.co/D7VQ6yYJ2O
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 19, 2024

This team is a mess. Title contenders with three All-NBA-caliber talents on the roster don't hold emergency postgame meetings not even a quarter of the way through an 82-game season. They surely don't have a player, coach or staffer leaking the contents of said meeting to the most prominent reporter in NBA media hours later.

And we haven't even mentioned the on-court issues yet.

The Sixers, who play next on Wednesday at Memphis, rank last in the NBA in points per game (103.3), effective field-goal percentage (49.6 percent) and assists per game (21.2). They're 29th in average scoring margin (-9.0), 28th in opponent shooting percentage (48.2 percent) and 28th in rebound rate (47 percent).

Embiid, who has already missed 10 games for various reasons, has played terribly (14.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG). The same can be said for George, who is averaging 16.7 points -- 4.1 points below his career average -- and shooting career-lows from the field (39.6 percent) and from three (28.8 percent).

The only bright spot for the Sixers is rookie guard Jared McCain, which is an indictment of this veteran-laden roster.

Heated team meetings can sometimes have a galvanizing effect on a locker room, but the way this season is trending, it may only make matters worse.

Jack Dougherty

Jack Dougherty has been writing professionally since 2015, contributing to publications such as GoPSUSports. com, Centre Daily Times, Associated Press, and Sportscasting. com

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