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A seating quirk in Orlando provided a unique view of the Sixers. Here’s what we learned about the team.

From a ‘still’ beginning to a ‘surreal’ ending, the Kia Center offered a different look at the team.

ORLANDO, Fla. — As Joel Embiid sat on the far end of the visitors’ bench Friday night, a Magic fan within earshot of the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player hollered, “Get ready, big dog!”

The Magic had sliced what was once a 22-point 76ers lead down to 15 with less than four minutes to play. Yet when Anthony Black air-balled a three-pointer, Embiid fake-gasped while clenching his chest.

“I was praying on the bench every single time they scored,” Embiid recalled after the game. “ … We kept the lead, and I didn’t have to go back in.”

That is becoming a theme for these 27-13 Sixers, who have made a habit of building and maintaining significant scoring margins as the regular season nears its midpoint. That means Embiid was not the only player Friday with good vibes on the bench — which were easy for this reporter to spot thanks to the sneaky-excellent view from the Kia Center’s baseline media seating.

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One could observe the intensity of a second-quarter timeout, when, after allowing an open Joe Ingles three-pointer, emphatic words and head nods spread from Marcus Morris, to Patrick Beverley, to Paul Reed, to Tobias Harris before coach Nick Nurse even sat down to address his team.

Or the latest teaching moment for Reed, when the more demonstrative Beverley gave way to the calmer Nico Batum, who used his hands to indicate where Reed should have been on the play.

Or Mo Bamba clearly enjoying being back in his former home arena even while injured, yelling, “I hope you got that!” to a photographer seated along the baseline after an Embiid three-pointer.

Here are three more bench-area scenes — one from the beginning, middle, and end of the Sixers’ 124-109 victory — and what they might reveal as the team nears the midway mark.

A moment of stillness

As his teammates warmed up before tip-off, Kelly Oubre Jr. rolled his head from one side to the other, brought his fingertips together and took a deep breath.

A few minutes later, Beverley also sat with his eyes closed, undistracted by the Magic’s intro video playing loudly from above.

To an outsider, those seconds of zen might appear to be quite the shift for arguably the two most boisterous Sixers. Yet the brief meditation helped set up Oubre to score 15 points on 3-of-4 from three-point range. Beverley, meanwhile, went 2-of-7 from the floor but otherwise filled the box score with six rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal in 28 minutes.

“I like to just be still,” Oubre said of his pregame habit. “I’m a very high-energy, very electric person. But at the end of the day, I need to calm myself down in order to be able to capitalize on the energy that’s stored inside of me.”

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Both players are helping patch up the backcourt while starter De’Anthony Melton is out with a back issue. After Oubre only took two first-half shots, he went 4-of-6 from the floor for 12 points after the break — a notable reason the Sixers’ kept their comfortable advantage.

The veteran wing called it another lesson in patience, which comes with being a complementary player on a contender instead of a 20-point scorer on a poor team.

“I’m learning a lot about myself and basketball,” Oubre said. “… [I’m] taking the shots that are in flow and in rhythm, and not just forcing anything and just waiting my turn, honestly. There’s a lot of talent and guys who can put the ball in the hole, and I’m one of them.

“So I’ve just got to wait my turn and just try to play as efficient as I possibly can.”

A motivational boost

On his way out of the halftime locker room, Tyrese Maxey had already told Nurse, “I ain’t gonna miss too many more,” after starting 5-of-13 from the field.

Yet as Embiid passed Maxey on the bench, the center, who has blossomed as a playmaker, told his point guard, “I’ve got zero assists because of you.”

“I told him I couldn’t do this all game,” Embiid said, referencing his 28-point first half. “So he needed to wake up and do his thing and carry us. He’s our best player, so we’ve got to make sure that he’s always on and get him the ball so he can score and make plays for everybody else.”

Challenge accepted.

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Maxey began the third quarter with a five-point burst on a driving finish and pull-up three-pointer. That ignited his 15-point second half on 5-of-7 shooting, another excellent complement to Embiid’s monster work before the break. Maxey also spearheaded the Sixers’ fourth-quarter offense that, in less than five minutes of game action, pushed a 13-point lead to start the period to 22.

“Whenever the fourth quarter rolls around, that’s his time,” Embiid said of Maxey. “That’s who we trust with the ball. That’s who we want to have the ball. He’s going to make the plays, and usually he’s the reason why I’ve had those fourth quarters that I’ve been able to sit.”

And a game ball

The night ended with multiple Sixers up from their seats with their arms raised, as Ricky Council IV sank a free throw and Terquavion Smith buried two three-pointers in less than 13 seconds of game time.

Those were the first NBA points for two Sixers rookies on two-way contracts, who are on this trip because of a multitude of injuries.

“Unbelievable,” Maxey said of Smith. “I mean, [assistant coach Rico Hines] said, ‘He’s about to go out there and get six points.’ But I’m looking at the time, like, ‘How many possessions are we going to have?’ in my head.

“He hit the first one and I was like, ‘OK.’ And then he came back and shot it and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, he’s got six points already.’ But that’s what he does.”

After the game, Smith clutched the game ball while describing his “surreal” debut. It was a gift from Embiid, who playfully snatched it from Maxey during his live television interview following the buzzer.

“It means everything,” Smith said. “[That’s the] NBA MVP. I’m blessed. It made me smile, so that’s all I can ask for.”

And when asked where he will keep the ball in his house, Smith said, “Anywhere. I’ll probably dribble it. I’ll probably play with it for the rest of my life.”