Sixers jump to ESPN for LeBron's South Philly debut; Shaq and Barkley argue over Joel Embiid; live updates

With a team that includes LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, is the Sixers' most-important player still Joel Embiid?

That's what Inside the NBA colleagues Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal argued about Wednesday on ESPN.

"As important as Jaylen Brown is, if Joel Embiid doesn't play well, they will not win," Shaq said.

Tyrese Maxey took to Instagram to apologize to teammate LeBron James for getting in the way of his chalk toss prior to Thursday night's win against the New York Knicks.

"My bad my bad," Maxey wrote.

James began his iconic pregame routine during his rookie year with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. He briefly stopped it when he joined the Miami Heat in 2010, but brought it back during his second stint with the Cavs after asking fans what they thought on social media.

Motown Philly will be back again tonight at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Boyz II Men will perform the national anthem ahead of Thursday night's Sixers home opener against the Cleveland Cavalier.

The Philly trio of Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, and Wanyá Morris have been performing since 1985, initially going by the name Unique Attractions. The fourth member of their quartet, bass singer Michael McCary, left the group in 2003 after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

LeBron James will make his Philly debut on the court in the 76ers home opener tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers (7 p.m., ESPN).

Calling the game will be ESPN's NBA Finals booth, featuring veteran play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and analysts Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler. King of Prussia native Lisa Salters will report from Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Breen was forced to walk back comments he made during the preseason, where he claimed during a broadcast Joel Embiid was late to a practice and James "let him hear it." James described the incident as "lies" in an Instagram post.