Sixers coach Nick Nurse also provided an injury update on McCain, who had a split removed from his surgically repaired hand.

Big man Jabari Walker discusses filling in for Joel Embiid as the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Orlando Magic on Monday.

Joel Embiid’s second matchup of the 2025-2026 NBA season went much better than the first. While it looked better to those spectating, there wasn’t a physical difference that had a positive impact on his game. “I didn't necessarily feel better,” Embiid admitted after the Philadelphia 76ers’ victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

With the Sixers playing on back-to-back nights, Embiid will rest on Monday night. Dominick Barlow was miss the Sixers' next two games after suffering a right elbow laceration on Saturday.

The Sixers are figuring out in real time what they need to do to survive without Joel Embiid. It is an enormous revelation for a franchise suddenly boasting a a 3-0 record.

The 76ers were never equipped for a part-time Embiid before. There are still areas in which it will be a struggle -- most notably defense. But the 76ers have never come close to this sort of shot-creation depth, and that at least offers a pathway to building a viable offense without Embiid on the floor.

The Philadelphia 76ers moved to 3-0 in the 2025-26 season on Monday night, knocking off the Orlando Magic behind big games from Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and K

Tyrese Maxey scored 43 points, including eight straight during a crucial fourth-quarter stretch, and VJ Edgecombe added 26 points as the 76ers beat the Orlando Magic 136-124 to improve to 3-0.