Getty Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has turned into Philly's newest superstar athlete in only his second season in the NBA.
The decision not to trade Tyrese Maxey might prove more valuable than the one to go get James Harden. You could say Maxey is turning into Philadelphia’s newest star athlete, although that would mean he wasn’t already a star. Which he is.
The 6-foot-2 supernova shined brightest in the fourth quarter when he scored 13 of his game-high 28 points. He went a perfect 5-for-5 while launching two dagger 3-pointers in the final 1:35, one from just inside the logo. His block on Caleb Martin with 23 seconds left sealed a 113-106 win over the top-seeded Miami Heat. The Sixers needed every inch of Maxey’s rail-thin frame to redirect that shot in a move his head coach never wants to see again.
Heat center Bam Adebayo says Tyrese Maxey has that look in his eye when it comes to the big moments #Sixers
“In my mind I was thinking either he’s going to dunk on me today or I will get this block, it was one or the other,” Maxey told reporters. “And it was just one of those plays where you have to put your body on the line. And, you know, Coach Doc [Rivers] always messes with me, like I’m 6-foot and I need to stop blocking shots. And he said when I got in there today, that was a great block, but I don’t ever want to see you block another shot again.”
TYRESE MAXEY SAYS NO.
Good thing he didn’t listen. Maxey’s heroics guided a short-handed Sixers team – one playing without Joel Embiid and James Harden – to an improbable victory on the second night of a back-to-back. Philadelphia beat Miami on Monday night after losing to Toronto on Sunday. They now sit just 2.5 games behind the Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference.
“We came in and Coach Doc had his pre-game speech as usual,” Maxey said, “and the first thing he said was ‘I’m still salty about last night, about that loss we had last night’ and he said but tonight we’re going to go out there and defeat the Heat. And he meant that. He said he didn’t care who was playing. It didn’t matter, as long as we came together as one unit, then we were going to be okay. And he was right.”
28 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST
as @GeorgesNiang said: “@TyreseMaxey for president!”
🎥 presented by @PALottery
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Sixers Fans Chant Maxey’s Name: ‘Philly is Different’
With no Embiid on the court, the Philly faithful needed someone else to shower with their undying love and affection. That person was Maxey who heard all 21,386 screaming Sixers fans – yes, another sellout at Wells Fargo Center – chant his name in the closing minutes.
It was a beautifully disjointed symphony fit for a South Philly street corner. And Maxey was the pied piper, a Texas transplant who appreciated every note.
“Philly, it’s, uh, different,” Maxey said. “But, I mean, I can’t take any of this credit. I’m just looking at the stats right here and guys like Shake [Milton] and Furk [Furkan Korkmaz] and Paul Millsap … Paul Millsap started tonight, I don’t think he played in the last 10 games. Furk hasn’t played much but for those guys to stay ready and come in for 31, 27 minutes … it’s just a testimony to our group.”
Shake Milton tonight:
31 minutes
20 points
6 assists
5 rebounds
1 steal
1 block
9-18 FGA
1-4 3PA
This is the Shake Milton Doc Rivers dreams about
There were extra minutes to go around with Embiid and Harden out. More importantly, the basketball never got stuck. Milton couldn’t miss a shot in the third quarter and finished with 20 points. Korkmaz busted his slump and played tough stretches all night on his way to 18 points. And Millsap started at center and did yeoman’s work against Bam Adebayo. It was a complete team effort, including 14 from Tobias Harris and 15 from Georges Niang.
“It’s the team camaraderie,” Maxey said. “I think that’s the first testimony to it because guys really, really care about each other.”
Embiid Plays Perfect Cheerleader, No Harden
Embiid soaked it all in from his front-row seat on the bench. He jumped up and celebrated after every big shot, none bigger than Maxey’s triple with 1:34 to go in the fourth quarter. The Sixers’ big man was yelling wildly and slapping hands with his teammates as they walked back off the court.
Maxey made for the moment 🔥
Reaction from Embiid and the rest of the team was amazing.
“He told me he wasn’t playing before the game,” Maxey said of Embiid, “and he said go out there and help us get a W, and I told him I got him. I wish I would have stopped fouling but it’s all good. It’s just a great feeling to see the work that you put in come to life in a big game like that.”
While Embiid was captured on camera cheering his face off on multiple occasions, Harden was nowhere to be found. He wasn’t dressed in street clothes on the bench with everyone else. Maxey said Harden was “texting the team words of encouragement” (via Austin Krell) during the game, although that doesn’t make sense. Players aren’t permitted to use cell phones. Either way, the Sixers found a way to get it it done against a tough Miami Heat squad.
“To see Joel, like you said, jumping around, his energy being out there,” Maxey said. “Guys know that your best player is out, you want to go try hard for them and win the game.”
Flying home to England tomorrow thank you for 3 games @sixers and tonight thank you @TyreseMaxey #sixers #nbauk