Tyrese Maxey Refers to Joel Embiid as Sixers' Anchor Following Game 3

The Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in a challenging position when they fired up their second-round series against the Miami Heat last week. Since the

The Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in a challenging position when they fired up their second-round series against the Miami Heat last week.

Since the five-time All-Star big man Joel Embiid was diagnosed with an orbital fracture and a mild concussion following Philly's Game 6 victory over the Toronto Raptors in the first round, Embiid couldn't be cleared to travel to Miami.

For Games 1 and 2, the Sixers utilized DeAndre Jordan and Paul Reed at the center position while Embiid spectated from home as he recovered from the concussion.

The Sixers' struggles without Embiid on the offensive and defensive ends didn't come as a surprise. Considering the big man was an MVP finalist this year, it's difficult to make up for his absence.

And in the second-year guard Tyrese Maxey's eyes, the 76ers missed their anchor over the first two games. Fortunately for Philadelphia, they got the big man back in action for Game 3, and his presence alone gave the 76ers a notable boost.

"He’s the anchor," said Maxey, regarding Embiid after Game 3. "He’s the anchor, and he knows all the coverages. And he’s talking to us. It’s a little bit harder for DJ because he came in mid-season, so everything was on the fly."

With Jordan in the Sixers' starting lineup during the first two games, the Sixers allowed Miami's big man Bam Adebayo to get whatever he wanted in the paint. When Embiid returned to the floor, Adebayo was practically shut down throughout all four quarters.

Embiid didn't necessarily have an MVP-caliber performance on Friday, but just being out on the floor still did wonders for his team as he demands attention from the opponent whether he has a solid performance or not.

 "Just his presence," Maxey continued. "His presence -- he’s 7-foot, 7-foot-1, and he’s a big body down there. It’s hard to go in there and drive into him. It makes it difficult for the opposing. And we really do appreciate him for that."

With Embiid back in the mix, Maxey and the 76ers avoided falling into an 0-3 hole. Now, they have an opportunity to tie up the series on Sunday night before hitting the road to South Beach once again.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.