Sixers 4-0 as Maxey, Edgecombe Shine

The Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 135-116 as Cade Cunningham had 30 points and 10 assists, Detroit outscored Orlando 70-52 over the final two quarters and improved to 3-2. The Philadelphia 76ers have opened 4-0 behind Tyrese Maxey’s historic scoring surge — he is averaging roughly 37.5 points per game, including 43 against Orlando and 39 (with 23 in the fourth quarter and overtime) in a 139-134 comeback over Washington. Maxey has also joined Russell Westbrook as only the second player with 150+ points and 30+ assists through the first four games of a season. Rookie V.J. Edgecombe (No. 3 pick) is averaging about 22.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists and has emerged as an early Rookie of the Year frontrunner. Joel Embiid is being limited to roughly 20 minutes per game while recovering from knee surgery but has still produced impact minutes (including 25 points in the Wizards game), and the Maxey–Edgecombe combination plus Embiid’s managed contributions have the Sixers viewed as legitimate Eastern contenders.