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The Philadelphia 76ers might want to start negotiating Tyrese Maxey’s next contract now before the asking price goes up. The second-year guard exploded for 30 points on Tuesday night during a 131-122 win. He knocked down a career-high eight 3-pointers on 11 attempts against the Indiana Pacers.
Maxey would have won a lot of stuffed animals at an old-timey carnival with the way he was draining shots. Everything was falling. After the game, the 21-year-old was asked if he ever made that many triples in a game at any point in his life.
“I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve ever shot 11 threes in a game to be honest,” Maxey said. “I think I’ve made six or seven in high school a couple times, but I’ve never shot 11. So, there you go.”
It was funny to hear Maxey’s response considering all the Sixers have been through with Ben Simmons. The diva point guard who refused to get in the gym and practice his jumper has been replaced by the hardest worker in the NBA. Maxey committed himself to improve from the outside. Why? Because he didn’t want to let his teammates down.
“Anytime I can get my feet set I think it’s going in. It’s a lot of work that I put in on the shot, just trying to stay steady, stay consistent, and I think that’s just the key,” Maxey said. “I just put extra work in now because I’m playing with Joel [Embiid] and James [Harden], lot of catch-and-shoot opportunities with Tobias [Harris] as well, having those opportunities I just have to stay ready and knock down shots.”
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Doc Rivers Lobbies Maxey for Most Improved Player
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers has been lobbying for Maxey to win Most Improved Player all year. Yes, he’s biased and not afraid to admit it.
However, Rivers’ argument proved prophetic when he mentioned Maxey’s three-point shooting about 90 minutes prior to tip-off against the Indiana Pacers.
“It’s a strong case, just look at his numbers,” Rivers said. “I’m at a disadvantage because I don’t watch everyone else so I don’t know whoever else is involved in that. I can’t imagine anyone having much of a better year than him considering from last year.
“We see it every day, we see his confidence, just look at his shooting alone. He’s become a knockdown three-point shooter in one season. He’s finishing better at the basket. He’s 20 years old, or however old he is, and he’s just going to keep getting better.”
MVP Candidate Joel Embiid Not Impressed
Joel Embiid stated his case once again for MVP in another dominating performance: 45 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block in 39 minutes. The Sixers’ big man went 18-of-30 from the field, including two 3-pointers.
Philadelphia set a franchise record with 23 triples on the night. And Maxey finished one shy of tying Danny Green and Dana Barros for the franchise record for most 3-pointers in a single game.
“It was good but I told him to go for the record and he didn’t do it,” Embiid said of Maxey. “So that wasn’t good enough. But it’s good, his development … I’ve said in the past, he works on his game, he’s committed, he wants to get better, and you see the results.”
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