76ers Vs Pacers: Maxey Nears Triple-Double, Embiid Returns as Sixers Crush Pacers 135-114 (Feb 24, 2026)

In the 76ers vs pacers matchup on Feb 24, 2026, the Sixers rolled the Indiana Pacers 135-114, a game notable for Joel Embiid's return after a multi-game absence and Tyrese Maxey flirting with a triple-double. The outcome secured a winning road trip and featured several lineup and rotation shifts that shaped the final margin.

How 76ers Vs Pacers Played Out

The final score was 135-114 in favor of the Sixers. Joel Embiid returned after missing the last five games and posted 27 points, six rebounds and five assists on 11-of-17 shooting. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 32 points and added nine rebounds and eight assists; Maxey was given the fourth quarter off. VJ Edgecombe supplied an efficient 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For Indiana, Andrew Nembhard and Micah Potter each led the Pacers with 23 points.

Embiid’s return, minutes and impact

Embiid returned after an absence that lasted 18 days, encompassed five missed games and included two different injury designations. He eased into the action, not making a shot in the first five minutes and change, yet still accounted for nine of the Sixers' first 14 points through a pair of free throws and three assists. Embiid's opening shift lasted about eight minutes before he checked out; when on the floor he had the usual long shifts but only three shot attempts early, missing a deep midrange look while also converting a couple of easy layups after sealing defenders. After his return to the floor later he quickly added two buckets — the first a layup created by Maxey and then an above-the-break three — and followed with another mid-range jumper as he settled into the game.

Maxey, Edgecombe and bench production

Tyrese Maxey was aggressive throughout, attempting a highlight dunk for the second straight game and starting the night 2-of-6 before finding rhythm. Maxey finished just shy of a triple-double with 32 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. VJ Edgecombe gave the Sixers a lift with strong off-the-dribble play and a 23-point night on 9-of-13 shooting. Second-unit minutes looked different with Embiid available; a non-Embiid lineup that featured three guards opened the second quarter on a 17-0 run, and a starting-backcourt-fueled spurt helped swing control firmly to Philadelphia.

Key sequence, rotations and miscues

The opening quarter contained miscues for Philadelphia: five turnovers in the frame, three of which were steals that led directly to fast-break layups, and early defensive lapses in contesting threes that allowed Indiana to hit 6-of-11 from deep and put the Sixers in an early eight-point hole. During a momentum swing, Trendon Watford returned to the rotation after missing the previous two games and converted an immediate cutting layup on a feed from Embiid. Watford’s defensive work was mixed — he had moments of being beaten in the pick-and-roll but also rotated over to block a Kam Jones layup and later picked Andrew Nembhard’s pocket to generate points. Near halftime Watford committed a foul on an inbound with 0. 5 seconds remaining that led to free throws and cut the Sixers’ lead to 10 at the break.

Indiana’s absences and the matchup context

The game unfolded against a depleted Indiana roster. With Embiid back, the Sixers were only down Paul George due to his suspension while the Pacers were without six players but most notably, Pascal Siakam. Additional players who were unavailable for Indiana included Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Obi Toppin and Ivica Zubac. The opponent has been characterized as a tanking Indiana Pacers squad in the lead-up to this matchup.

Takeaways and immediate context

The win completed a 2-1 road trip for the Sixers, moving the club to a 32-26 record. The victory followed a rebound from a difficult loss and an emphatic win over another opponent the previous night, setting a tone of regained momentum. While rotation adjustments and Embiid’s reintegration clearly mattered in the final margin, bench plays and early defensive lapses were notable details that shaped the game’s flow. Specific shooting oddities from the Pacers included Kam Jones — a 23% three-point shooter on the season who made his first two three-point attempts and his first two inside-the-arc looks on this night, though he had been a 36% three-point shooter in college — and Kelly Oubre Jr., who began the night aggressively, knocking down an early three and attacking the basket on his first trips to the rim.