The Sixers struck gold with guard Tyrese Maxey as the team’s perfect second option alongside MVP big man Joel Embiid. However, due to Embiid’s extended absences and recently added Paul George, Maxey has evolved into the team’s primary source of offense on most nights. He is currently the team’s leading scorer and keeps them afloat amidst their rough start to the season. ESPN analyst, Tim Legler, praises Maxey’s offensive growth while shouldering increased responsibilities.
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Legler made a guest appearance on the PHLY Sports Podcast to discuss the Sixers’ impressive recent stretch of games. The one glaring positive throughout Philadelphia’s gradual turnaround is Maxey’s offensive leap. His performance against the Celtics on Christmas Day opened the eyes of Legler. He said,
“Tyrese was great start to finish. There was no answer for his quickness and his finishing ability. His array of shots that he can get off on the move going to the rim are really special in this league.”
Legler was in attendance for the Sixers‘ Christmas Day matchup against the Celtics. Ahead of the season, many expected the game to be a heavyweight bout between two Eastern Conference giants. However, the Sixers entered the game 10-17, while the Celtics were 22-7. Records didn’t matter as Maxey went into TD Garden and put on a show.
Despite sharing the court with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Embiid, Maxey was the best player that day. He finished the game with a game-high 33 points and 12 assists on 52% shooting from the field. His performance against the Celtics gave a glimpse of what the Sixers expected from him alongside George and Embiid. However, due to playing by himself for a good portion of the early season, his statistics have suffered.
Maxey has always been a sub-50 % shooter throughout his career but is shooting his worst percentages this season. He is currently shooting 42% from the field, which is due to being the main focal point for opposing defenses while his star running mates were out. Regardless, Maxey has used these circumstances to improve as a basketball player, which may potentially work out better for the Sixers in the long run.
Maxey’s growth offensively this season
Throughout Maxey’s NBA career, he has improved every single season. In his rookie season, he came off the bench and didn’t even average double-digit points. In the following season, his points per game total jumped nearly 10 points, to 17.5 points per game. He’s since continued the trend of gradually improving his stats by the year.
Most impressively, Maxey showed the willingness and ability to shoulder immense pressure and responsibility due to the Sixers’ lack of depth. His numbers could’ve easily faltered and he would’ve had an excuse. However, his resistance continues to prevail.
As a result, Maxey is in contention for his second consecutive All-Star selection. Given everything else happening around him, he’s also likely to be the only Sixers representative at the prestigious game.
