“I Play for Him”: Paul George Inspired by Tyrese Maxey’s Resilience Despite Heartbreaking Loss to Hawks

The Philadelphia 76ers put up a show on Sunday night for those in attendance at Wells Fargo Center, despite their loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The game went to double over-time. It was box-office stuff from a franchise that’s looking to pick itself up after a disappointing 24-25 campaign, and once again, it was Tyrese Maxey who pulled most of the strings.

Joel Embiid and Paul George may remain the biggest names in the 76ers roster, but Maxey has proved (for long), that he’s their most reliable star. He put up 44 points against the Hawks and played 52 minutes, leaving it all out there.

Sadly, the gas ran out for the 76ers in 2OT, where Atlanta outscored them 16-8, eventually winning 142-134. After the game, George, a nine-time NBA All-Star, was full of praise for him.

“He’s a warrior,” said the 76ers man. “He’s a fighter, he takes so many hits, teams always grab him… He bounces straight back up. When he’s out there, I play for him.” 

“I do everything I can to make the game easier for him. He’s our guy. It’s inspiring. Me as a vet, it’s inspiring for a guy to consistently do it.”

George also shed light on how efficient Maxey has been, which is a testament to how much he’s improved. In 2024-25, he was good. But he was shooting only 43%. The number has gone up to 46% now, with his PPG also increasing from 26.3 to 31.7.

The 76ers fanbase has also come to see Maxey as more dependable than former MVP Joel Embiid, whose injuries and ongoing load management have made his appearances on the court increasingly rare. But Embiid cares about the franchise, and wants to win. So seeing Maxey ball out and carry the 76ers must mean something to him.

George admitted that it does. Injuries and Father Time haven’t been kind to him. He’s a shadow of the player who once ranked among the league’s best during his Pacers and Thunder days. Now, he’s embraced his new role and is content to sit back and enjoy watching Maxey shine.