Report: Maxey challenged Embiid during Sixers’ postgame team meeting originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The 2-11 Sixers held an extended team meeting Monday night following their loss to the Heat.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that 38-year-old guard Kyle Lowry called the meeting. Charania described it as “a much-needed heart-to-heart and a call to action and urgency” and reported that All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey “challenged” All-Star center Joel Embiid.

During the meeting, Maxey challenged Embiid to be on time for team activities, calling out the former league MVP for being late ‘for everything’ and how this affects the locker room, from other players to the coaching staff ,” Charania reported.

Maxey has been out the past six games for the Sixers due to a right hamstring strain, but he has traveled with the Sixers and has been a noticeably active, vocal presence on the sideline. He is expected to return Wednesday against the Grizzlies or Friday against the Nets, ESPN reported.

Maxey and Embiid have yet to share the floor during the Sixers’ terrible first thirteen games. Embiid was first listed as out due to “recovery from left knee injury.” He was then suspended three games for pushing Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes in the Sixers’ locker room.

Despite being listed as questionable due to an illness leading into Monday’s game, Embiid played in Miami and scored just 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Over his first three games, he averaged 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. The seven-time All-Star has shot 32.4 percent from the field and 15.4 percent from three-point range. He called himself “extremely rusty” and “a little timid” after returning against the Knicks, and those words have remained true.

Charania noted that Embiid and Maxey “have a close friendship and a history of holding each other accountable.”

“Embiid accepted the messages sent during the meeting … but he stated that he was confused about what the 76ers sometimes try to execute on the court,” Charania reported.

The Sixers are tied for the NBA’s worst record and have the league’s lowest offensive rating. They rank 29th in three-point percentage (31.6) and last in “open” 3-point percentage (25.6 percent).

“There’s a lot of good things happening defensively, even considering we’re playing at such a disadvantage,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters in Miami. “We play against the transition so often, but there is still a lot of good communication and good plans. … Again, we’re just trying to reiterate these things and we’re just trying to reiterate some of the things that we need to improve on.

“Offensively, moving the ball, staying on execution, things like that. And then get these guys to believe that they’re better shooters and better scorers than they’re showing right now, and we need them to do that.

Embiid on Friday attributed many of the Sixers’ offensive struggles to the team’s newness.

“We’ve had a lot of adversity so far: I missed the first few games, (Paul George) missed the first few games and now Rese was out,” Embiid said after the Sixers fell to the Magic. “I think the biggest factor of all is that we have a lot of new guys. You can tell from the floor that it’s going to take a while for everyone to get on the same page and know what we need to do offensively.

“When I have the ball or when someone (else) has the ball, when we have to cut or where we have to be… just being together. But defensively we did quite well, I think. On the offensive side, that’s what happens when you’ve had a lot of injuries and 95 percent of your team is new.”

Charania reported that Sixers players told Nurse during Monday’s meeting that “they want to be coached harder, and coaches in turn said they want players to practice with purpose and attention to detail.”

The Sixers wrap up their three-game road trip Wednesday in Memphis.