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.
Stauskas Speaks on Maxey
Former 76ers guard Nik Stauskas spoke on Sixers in 60 about the challenges the 76ers face without Embiid as their centerpiece.
“Maxey’s name will be underlined three times at the top of every scouting report now. We know he can score. We know he’s a very talented player… It’s really just the amount of energy he’s going to have to exert now to score as much as this team needs him to on a night basis.” -Nik Stauskas
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.
“Teams are going to defend you differently now. We go into visitors’ locker rooms. They have a whiteboard, and at the top of the whiteboard, defensively, is Joel Embiid. There’s about seven subcategories under Joel Embiid about things you have to try to stop. Now, Tyrese Maxey climbs to the top of that board.” -Bob Cooney
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.
Tyrese Maxey in 3 games since the 51-point effort vs. the Jazz
— Colin Newby (@ToNewbyginnings) February 8, 2024
2/3 vs. Nets: 8/23 (34.8%)
2/5 vs. Mavericks: 6/15 (37.5%)
2/7 vs. Warriors: 5/14 (35.7%)
He hadn't shot under 40% in 3 consecutive games at any other point in the 2023-24 season #BrotherlyLove
Tyrese Maxey at NBA All-Star Game
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.
“I’ve worked extremely hard to get where I am. A lot of people didn’t believe in some of the things I said when I was younger… I just remember being in the sixth grade and telling people I’m going to Kentucky. I’m getting a scholarship from Coach Cal (John Calipari). I’ll be a McDonald’s All-American. I’m going to the league.”-Tyrese Maxey
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.
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10 Philadelphia 76ers Retired Numbers & 3 More That Deserve It
#2 Moses Malone
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.
#3 Allen Iverson
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.
#6 Julius Erving
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.
#10- Maurice Cheeks
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.
#13- Wilt Chamberlain
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.
#15- Hal Greer
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.
#32 Billy Cunnigham
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.
#34 Charles Barkley
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.
#21 Joel Embiid
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.
#0 Tyrese Maxey
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.
#22 Andrew Toney
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.
