The Philadelphia 76ers can officially claim to be the healthiest they have been all season. They had their big three of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George all available before their high-stakes standings clash against the on-fire Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night. However, the availability of the 76ers’ big three meant a 118-114 win for Philadelphia as the city has genuine reason to believe in a dark horse Playoff run.
Maxey has been shouldering the load for the injured 76ers all season, averaging 28.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists and leading the NBA in minutes per game (38.3 MPG). He was out for the last 10 games with a hand injury, with his return against the Hornets coming as a surprise to many.
He dropped 26 points (10-18 FG), seven rebounds, and eight assists in the win after pushing the team to skip injury return ramp-up activities such as practice, as Maxey immediately returned to the court and looked like he never left. He spoke to members of the 76ers media after the game in a locker room interview and revealed what motivated him to expedite his return from injury in the manner he has.
“Honestly, this morning, I’m being completely honest with you. I had to pass all the tests, talk to different doctors, and do all the medical staff told me to do. I played no five-on-five or anything. I’ve been working my tail off. I wanna be there for my team, man. So, I was there.”
Maxey had several big moments in the win over the Hornets, including the highlight of the night with a poster dunk on Hornets forward Miles Bridges. Maxey tried shaking Bridges’ hand after the dunk before getting snubbed, prompting Maxey to taunt him by pointing at Bridges and laughing, with all his teammates joining in.
Tyrese Maxey put Miles Bridges on a poster and went to go shake his hand but Bridges refused…
Maxey responded by pointing and laughing at him 😭💀
(via @SixersJustin, h/t @Fullcourtpass)pic.twitter.com/GkQgXKHRiv
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 29, 2026
It was a triumphant night for the 76ers, who will be hoping they can get through the last eight games of the regular season without suffering another setback.
Embiid and George had incredible nights alongside Maxey. Embiid put up 29 points and six rebounds in just his 35th appearance this season, while George put up 26 points, 13 rebounds, and four steals in his second game back from a 25-game suspension. The 76ers also welcome previously-injured players such as Kelly Oubre Jr. back to the rotation in this win.
The 76ers have a 41-33 record this season and currently occupy the No. 7 seed. They’ll have to end the season strong to get into an automatic Playoff spot as a top-six team, with the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers already likely being out of reach with a five-game lead. But the fifth-seed Toronto Raptors and sixth-seed Atlanta Hawks are just half a game ahead.
The 76ers will need Maxey alongside Embiid and George to end the season strong, which explains why the 25-year-old guard pushed to make an early return from his injury.
There are obvious risks involved with Maxey not going through the usual ramp-up process, such as practicing with the team to get back into rhythm, but it’s clear he didn’t need it. The Hornets have been one of the most dangerous teams in the East since January, so Maxey knew the team would need his production as well to secure a victory. Now, the franchise heads into their next game against the Miami Heat on Monday night with high hopes and a healthy core.
