ICYMI: Joel Embiid goes berserk, celebrates wildly as Tyrese Maxey hits two clutch shots during Philadelphia 76ers' win over Miami Heat
Joel Embiid and the James Harden-less Philadelphia 76ers stunned conference leaders Miami Heat on March 21 thanks to Tyrese Maxey's 28-point outing.
The sophomore guard is having a breakout season as the Sixers' starting point guard. Maxey is averaging 17.4 points and 4.3 assists per game, shooting on a 48/41/86 split.
He has emerged as a reliable option for the Sixers in the absence of stars like Embiid and Harden. The 21-year-old proved his potential once again in Philadelphia's surprise 113-106 win over a healthy Miami team that had their best starting five available on the night.
Joel Embiid was present on the sidelines to witness Tyrese Maxey's heroics from the sidelines. The Cameroonian big jumped out of his seat after the 21-year-old hit two clutch three-pointers down the stretch.
Here's a clip of the Philadelphia 76ers' talisman's wild celebration as Maxey led the team to a win in style (via House of Highlights):
Maxey shot 9-of-15 from the field and 3-of-7 from long range while also converting all seven of his attempts from the free-throw line. His contribution proved to be crucial in the absence of Joel Embiid and James Harden, who were rested on the second night of a back-to-back set.
The Philadelphia 76ers will travel to the West Coast next to take on LeBron James and the LA Lakers.
Tyrese Maxey could be the 'X-factor' for Joel Embiid-led Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs
The Philadelphia 76ers made a blockbuster trade move to capitalize on Joel Embiid's MVP caliber season by acquiring James Harden at the trade deadline. They sent disgruntled star Ben Simmons the other way, finally managing to get the kind of deal they were patiently waiting for in exchange for the Australian guard.
With Harden being added to the roster, the 76ers were instantly considered a legitimate threat to win the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia is 8-3 with the former Houston Rockets guard in the lineup. It hasn't taken him long to find his chemistry with Joel Embid and more importantly, Tyrese Maxey.
Tyrese Maxey started the 4th-quarter with 15 points before coming up HUGE in the CLUTCH with 13 Q4 points and the game-sealing block!
@TyreseMaxey: 28 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 1 BLK https://t.co/OPRdLSwjmu
Many felt that Maxey's development would slow down after the Harden trade. That hasn't been the case, though, and the 21-year-old guard has only improved and emerged as the third star for Doc Rivers' side. He has averaged 19.7 points per game since Harden's arrival on 55% field goal shooting.
The 76ers have never had many reliable options outside of Joel Embiid on offense. Consequently, the luxury of having Harden and a young emerging star in Tyrese Maxey could prove to be immensely helpful in their hopes of making a deep playoffs run.