Unfazed Tyrese Maxey targets playoffs as Sixers aim for strong finish
With Joel Embiid out of action, Tyrese Maxey has been called upon to lead the charge for the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite being without the reigning MVP for so long, the team still feels confident heading into the postseason.
As the regular season slowly comes to a close, Tyrese Maxey sat down to speak with Sportskeeda's Mark Medina. The Sixers star touched on the team's mindset, which is still in a good place.
When Embiid is in the lineup, they still feel they can compete with any team in the league. That said, their primary focus is winning games in hopes of building positive momentum into the postseason.
“I think we’re in a good spot. We’re pretty confident against anybody if Joel is playing," Maxey said. "We’re trying to win as many games as possible. We want to step in the right direction by playing high-level basketball on our ways to the playoffs. As long as we’re doing that, we’ll be pretty happy."
The Sixers are currently tied with the Miami Heat for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 38-31 record. There is still a chance for them to move up in the coming weeks as they are only three games behind the fifth-place New York Knicks.
Tyrese Maxey finishing breakout season on a high note
Since being drafted in 2020, Tyrese Maxey has slowly improved his game with each passing season. However, the young guard made "the leap" this year into an All-Star talent.
With James Harden being traded at the beginning of the season, Maxey took on the role as Joel Embiid's new running mate. He quickly settled into this role and showed the Philadelphia 76ers he's a pillar for the franchise moving forward.
As the No. 2 option every night, Maxey has put up the best numbers of his young career. His averages currently sit at 25.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists. This production landed Maxey his first All-Star nomination.
Since Embiid went down, Maxey had to adjust to being "the guy" every night. While he's had some games to forget, he's also shined on many occasions. In the Sixers' recent stretch, he has broken the 30-point mark in three of his last four games.
Maxey's best outing since Embiid's injury was the first game after it happened. Facing off against the Utah Jazz, the rising star erupted for a career-high 51 points in a win. It was the second time this season Maxey went for 50 or more.
The Sixers have managed to stay afloat without Embiid, and Maxey deserves a lot of that credit. If he wasn't able to increase his production, the team might have dropped even farther in the standings.
Still without Embiid, Tyrese Maxey is doing everything he can to keep the Sixers competitive until the superstar big man returns.