After picking up a huge shorthanded win over the Miami Heat Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers traveled out west for a three-game road trip. First up was a meeting with a LeBron James-less Lakers team. Despite being without their star players, LA still managed to put up a good fight.

In the end, this valiant effort would fall just short, as Joel Embiid and company walked out of Crypto.com arena with a 126-121 victory. Here are some player grades from the matchup. 

76ers Player Grades

Tyrese Maxey: B+ 

Tyrese Maxey was the star for the Sixers in their win over Miami and carried that momentum into Wednesday's game against the Lakers. He finished as the team's third-leading scorer with 21 points to go along with five rebounds and seven assists. 

In just his second year as a pro, Maxey has already put together an all-around offensive package. On a nightly basis, he proves he is capable of scoring from just about anywhere on the floor. The 21-year-old shot a stellar 8-for-14 from the field, including going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. 

Doc Rivers did some tweaking to his rotation in this one and allowed Maxey to run with the second unit for stretches. Given the young guard's ability to score in bunches, this could be the solution for the Sixers as they find ways to stay afloat when the stars are off the floor. Based on his last two outings, Maxey is trending in the right direction as the regular season comes to a close. 

Tobias Harris: B+ 

Another player trending upward recently is Tobias Harris. He struggled early on last game against the Heat but managed to salvage his night with multiple baskets down the stretch. Despite his up-and-down play at times, Harris put together a solid all-around outing in LA. 

Harris was one of four Sixers to break the 20-point threshold Wednesday and did so shooting over 50% from the floor. Along with his scoring, the veteran forward grabbed seven rebounds and dished five assists in the win. 

It took some time, but Harris looks to be settling in comfortably to his new role. Granted it was against a lesser opponent, but seeing him put together a good night alongside all the other stars is a huge positive for the Sixers heading into the postseason. 

Supporting cast: B 

Over the last few weeks, the lack of production from the Sixers' second unit was becoming a growing issue. While it certainly has been a cause for concern, Doc Rivers' bench unit is starting to show some signs of life. Their come-together effort earlier this week might have been the confidence boost they needed to turn a new leaf. 

Multiple 76ers came off the bench and were able to contribute in Wednesday's win. Some of the standouts include Georges Niang (9 points, 3/4 3FG), DeAndre Jordan (9 points, 7 rebounds), and Furkan Korkmaz (6 points, 1 assist). 

If the Sixers want to make a serious run at the title, they will need production like this every night from the second unit. Seeing how they build off their recent string of performances is a major storyline to watch in the team's final ten games. 

Joel Embiid: A+ 

As he's done all year, Joel Embiid was stellar leading the charge for the 76ers. In 34 minutes of action, he posted a monster stat line of 30 points, ten rebounds, three assists, three steals, and three blocks. 

With the regular season slowly coming to a close, Embiid has few outings left to put the finishing touches on another dominant campaign. The All-Star center put his full talents on display, reminding everyone why he is a frontrunner for MVP for the second-straight season. This matchup held a little more weight as LeBron has a narrow lead over Embiid for the scoring title as well. 

It goes without saying how nights like this are essential for Embiid and the 76ers moving forward. They need their franchise cornerstone at his best heading into the playoffs, and while he's on pace to play the most games in a season for his career, he looks ready as ever to elevate his game.