“Y’all don’t give up on us yet!!! I believe in this team!!!” Tyrese Maxey’s words rang out on X after another tough loss, his frustration is palpable but tinged with hope. The 76ers were now sitting at 10-2 at the start of the season—and Maxey, ever the optimist, refused to let the weight of those defeats crush the team’s spirit. His message wasn’t just for the fans; it was for his teammates, too. Despite the mounting struggles, Maxey still believed they had something special to offer.

But belief alone wouldn’t fix the situation. The 76ers’ injury report continued to be a glaring issue. Joel Embiid, the team’s star, had only played two games so far—both losses—and now Sham Charina has reported that he will be sidelined once again. “Day-to-day” with an illness, Embiid’s ongoing injury troubles were only adding to the team’s frustration. His back-and-forth with health—starting with an Knee injury against the Warriors in January 30th, followed by his stint in the Olympics, and the subsequent struggles to regain his NBA form—had fans questioning his commitment. The suspension for shoving columnist Marcus Hayes had only added fuel to the fire, and now, without him on the court, the 76ers were searching for answers.

Maxey, however, wasn’t about to let the team’s struggles define them. As both he and Embiid sat out, the pressure mounted ahead of their next game—a showdown with the Miami Heat. It wasn’t going to be easy. With two of their biggest stars sidelined, the 76ers were going to need everyone to step up. However, Philly’s challenges didn’t stop with Embiid.

Maxey himself is battling his own injury woes. The young star had been struggling with a hamstring issue, which flared up during the Sixers’ matchup with the LA Clippers. Midway through the game, Maxey left the court early, visibly grabbing at his hamstring in discomfort. With both Maxey and Embiid sidelined, the 76ers were staring down another tough stretch, including their next game against the Miami Heat. But through it all, Maxey’s message remained clear: We’ve got this. Just don’t give up. The team was far from finished.