Tyrese Maxey Faces Monumental Challenge with Shorthanded 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers suffered the immediate shock of an injury to Joel Embiid on Jan. 30. Their second-best player, however, wasn’t planning on a doom and gloom approach. Tyrese Maxey returned to the lineup and torched the Utah Jazz for 51 points in an emphatic statement victory.

The moment looked like a character performance for a team with a depleted lineup that had just recently hung with the defending champion Denver Nuggets in a memorable dogfight. Maxey even received the honor of his first career All-Star appearance on the same night as his career-best stat line.

The fourth-year guard hasn’t replicated the legendary performance, and the Sixers recognize that the 51-point formula won't help them sustain a winning stretch. They now face real trouble in the long-term reality of life without Embiid.

Former 76ers guard Nik Stauskas spoke on Sixers in 60 about the challenges the 76ers face without Embiid as their centerpiece. 

He emphasized the ability of opposing defenses to trap Maxey on the high pick and roll. They simply don’t have to worry about other players on the floor as much as they previously did with Embiid. Bob Cooney pointed out similar concerns.

The concerns have already manifested during a three-game losing streak since Tyrese Maxey dropped 51 against Utah. His field goal percentage has dipped in his only stretch of the 2023-24 season with three consecutive games shooting under 40%.

The Sixers are suddenly reeling without much help to offer their breakout star. Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. are capable NBA scorers. However, it’s equally as lofty to set an expectation for them to offset the absence of the league’s reigning MVP.

He’s worked himself into folklore locally as a fan favorite. Despite the immediate challenges he faces, Maxey deserves enormous credit for the steps he’s taken to help Sixers fans forget about the James Harden saga so quickly. Don't lose sight of the joy he showed to Lauren Rosen on Sixers in 60 about his All-Star selection.

Wish him the best as one of the most impressive success stories in recent franchise history, but acknowledge the magnitude of the disadvantage that Joel Embiid’s injury just handed to Maxey and the Sixers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have retired 10 numbers in their franchise history. The names of some of the best players in NBA history hang in the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center.

They’ve celebrated two NBA Championships in Philadelphia and one as the Syracuse Nationals before their relocation in 1963.

The best era in franchise history came during the late 1970s and the early 1980s. The Sixers advanced to the NBA Finals four times in seven seasons from 1976-77 through 1982-83.

They finally broke through on their fourth try. Beloved stars Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Andrew Toney took down the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers under the leadership of head coach Billy Cunningham.

Four members of the glorified championship team (and their coach) have their numbers retired, and one more player deserves his own banner.

Two of the most colorful personalities in the modern era spent long tenures in Philadelphia without winning championships. However, the organization pays proper tribute to the careers of Allen Iverson and Charles Barkley with proudly displayed banners.

Another NBA superstar has highlighted the most recent era after the brutal basement seasons during “The Process.” Joel Embiid hopes someday to see his name hanging next to the franchise’s all-time greats. 

An organization with admirable class has put together memorable ceremonies to honor some of its best players. The Sixers have immortalized a local legend who was the most dominant player in basketball history at the height of his career.

They’ve glorified Allen Iverson because of Philadelphia’s continued infatuation with the polarizing former MVP. The organization has also honored the most entertaining commentator in the sport.

Fans adore the stars of the past as part of a proud legacy. The Philadelphia 76ers have made three additions to their list of retired numbers in recent seasons. These ceremonies have drawn huge crowds at the Wells Fargo Center. Expect the tradition to continue.

Hall of Famer Moses Malone played only five of his 19 NBA seasons in Philadelphia. He didn’t need much time to become a franchise legend though. He led the 1982-83 76ers in scoring with both Julius Erving and Andrew Toney on the floor. 

The addition of Malone pushed a contending team into greatness. He won the NBA Finals MVP Award in 1983 after the Sixers swept the “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers.

The Sixers selected the 6-foot-0 guard from Georgetown in 1996 to end the dormant period after the Charles Barkley trade in 1992. Allen Iverson won four scoring titles and led the 76ers to an appearance in the 2001 NBA Finals.

He is one of the best players in franchise history and one of the most beloved Philadelphia athletes of all time.

Dolph Schayes played 14 seasons for the Syracuse Nationals before they moved to Philadelphia in 1963. He played only 24 games for the 76ers in his final NBA season in 1963-64, but his number hangs in the rafters at the Wells Fargo Center to celebrate his work as a trailblazer and the face of the original era in franchise history.

Dr. J wasn't the best basketball player who ever lived, but he might’ve been the smoothest. He played his first of 11 seasons with the Sixers in 1976-77 after a five-year stint in the ABA.

He earned 16 total All-Star appearances and four MVP Awards during a career that cemented his legacy in the top tier of all-time Philadelphia 76ers.

Cheeks averaged 12.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11 seasons with the Sixers. However, his lockdown defense and loveable persona earned him a place in history as a 76ers icon. It’s tough to find anyone with a bad thing to say about Mo Cheeks.

Chamberlain played 277 of his 1045 career games with the Sixers. The Overbrook native revolutionized the sport at every stop of his career on the hardwood. It’s easier to measure NBA records in modern times if you exclude the outrageous statistical career of the most dominant basketball player of all time.

Dolph Schayes passed the torch to Hal Greer as the centerpiece of the relocated 76ers. Greer earned 10 consecutive All-Star appearances through the decade of the 1960s. Per the team’s official website, he owns the top spot in franchise history in points scored, minutes played, field goals made, field goals attempted, games played, and personal fouls.

Jone came to Philadelphia at age 26 in 1978 as the Sixers were entering the thick of their best era in franchise history. His role with the 1983 NBA Champions highlighted his eight-year career in Philadelphia. He earned 11 selections to the NBA All-Defensive Team throughout his career.

Billy “The Kangaroo Kid” Cunningham played all nine of his NBA seasons with the Sixers. He helped them to their first championship in Philadelphia in his second season in 1966-67. The Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star also spent eight seasons as the Sixers head coach and reached the NBA Finals four times.

The “Round Mound of Rebound” spent the first eight of his 16 NBA seasons with the 76ers.

The story of Charles Barkley in Philadelphia doesn’t have the best ending. His relationship with the organization began to sour, and they dealt him to the Phoenix Suns for a regrettable return package in 1992. It doesn’t ruin the legacy of an outstanding player who averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds seven times as a member of the Sixers.

When Matt Cord announces Joel “The Process” Embiid, the goosebumps circulate through the bodies of the Philadelphia home crowd. The 7-foot-0 center has displayed one of the most overwhelming skill sets of any player in the modern NBA.

His track record since his rookie season in 2016-17 already qualifies him for a future number retirement ceremony, but he certainly isn’t satisfied without the elusive NBA Championship.

The Sixers got an absolute steal with the 21st-overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Tyrese Maxey has a chance to join the all-time greats if he becomes the Robin to Joel Embiid’s Batman.

His loveable persona and his story of blowing expectations out of the water have made him a fan favorite in Philadelphia. The Wells Fargo Center ceiling is the limit.

A fallout with the organization has probably impacted the decision not to retire the #22 for Andrew Toney. The player and the organization had some hostility in the late 1980s, but Toney’s legacy as “The Boston Strangler” should outweigh any hard feelings.

Both Toney and the Sixers can take a page from the book of Eric Lindros and the Flyers by burying the hatchet in the spirit of honoring a successful overall body of work for a deserving player.