"'Cause I'm a killer": Tyrese Maxey hilariously breaks down his phenomenal 50-point spectacle
Amid his career-best season, Philadelphia 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey and his teammate De’Anthony Melton humorously reflected on his first-ever 50-point game. According to the first-time All-Star, he tried his best to maintain his composure and look the part of a bona fide star.
The memorable performance took place during the Sixers’ 137-126 win over the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 12. Maxey finished with a then-career-high 50 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks and seven 3-pointers on 62.5% shooting.
The 23-year-old scored in a variety of ways throughout the night. However, his final three points, which took him from 47 to 50 points, came in particularly dramatic fashion.
Philly was up 132-121 when Maxey drilled a step-back 32-foot jumper off an assist from co-star Joel Embiid to ice the game with 1:04 remaining. Upon reaching the 50-point mark, the fourth-year guard, who is known for his exuberant demeanor, reacted with a stone-cold expression.
“At that point, I ain’t gonna lie, I was cool,” Maxey said. “I thought we were gonna win, the game was over. I really wanted to get it out of the way in one shot, so it didn’t look like I was forcing it to 50. I got to a spot that I liked, a move that I liked. I’m not even smiling.”
“No reaction,” Melton said.
“Yeah, 'cause I’m a killer,” Maxey joked.
Maxey added that he made a concerted effort not to show too much emotion, as he wanted to shed his reputation for being overly friendly.
“I couldn’t show too much emotion right there after I got 50,” Maxey said. “I don’t know, I had to keep it cool. You feel me, like, don’t want to smile? People say I smile too much. Right there, I’m not smiling.”
Tyrese Maxey’s 50-point performance came during the Sixers’ ninth game of the season. Thus, it was one of the earliest signs that he was on track for his first All-Star selection, which he received earlier this month.
Maxey later set a new career high on Feb. 1 during Philly’s 127-124 road victory over the Utah Jazz. With Embiid sidelined, he finished with 51 points and seven 3s on 63.0% shooting, further proving that he is a legitimate star.
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Tyrese Maxey on track to win 2024 Most Improved Player of the Year award
After getting selected to his first All-Star team, Tyrese Maxey is firmly on track to win this year’s Most Improved Player of the Year award.
Maxey is the odds-on-betting favorite, with DraftKings and FanDuel listing his odds at -700 and -550, respectively. A big reason has been his 5.4 points per game increase from last season when he was already Philly’s tertiary scoring option.
Through 47 games, Maxey is averaging 25.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.1 3-pointers per game on 44.8% shooting.
Embiid is set to miss at least another five to seven weeks after undergoing knee surgery last week. In the meantime, Maxey should continue getting increased scoring opportunities as the Sixers’ No. 1 option.
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