How 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey became the perfect co-star to Joel Embiid - ESPN

JOEL EMBIID PUT his hands on his head in disbelief the moment the shot fell through the net.

On Sunday night inside the Wells Fargo Center, Tyrese Maxey buried his seventh and final 3-pointer, a 32-foot step-back with just over a minute remaining that put the finishing touch on the first 50-point game of his rapidly ascending career — and delivered the dagger in the Philadelphia 76ers' eighth straight victory.

But Maxey's night — he and Embiid combined for 87 points in a 137-126 home win over the Indiana Pacers — was also a breakthrough moment for the league's reigning Most Valuable Player and a franchise that has been feverishly searching for Embiid's perfect sidekick.

Embiid's partnership with Ben Simmons showed promise before unraveling, leading to Simmons' trade request. His partnership with former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz never materialized, with Fultz's shoulder and shooting issues derailing his time in Philly, before he was unceremoniously traded to the Orlando Magic. Then there was Embiid's 18-month pairing with James Harden, who asked out of town after leading the league in assists and helping Embiid win MVP.

Through a combination of injuries, poor play or plain bad luck, none provided the kind of long-term partner for Embiid the way the 76ers envisioned. As a result, questions loomed over whether the big man's long-term future would reside in Philadelphia, a simmer that had risen to a boil as Harden's summer of discontent turned to fall.

But in the two weeks since Harden was dealt to the LA Clippers, Maxey has emerged, and suddenly the 76ers may have found the perfect partner for Embiid.

«I think [Maxey] has an even brighter future,» Embiid said from his locker, leaving the postgame podium to Maxey after his