NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers have been playing excellent basketball to begin the 2023-24 season, and most of their success is due to the strong play of Tyrese Maxey
Taking over the starting point guard duties after the James Harden trade, Maxey has been terrific. He is averaging 26.8 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 44.6% from deep. He has been outstanding and his leap is not just All-Star worthy, it’s All-NBA worthy if he can keep this up consistently.
Before the Sixers earned a 121-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Maxey received praise from Nets coach Jacque Vaughn.
“I love watching players who love playing the game,” said Vaughn. “He exudes a joy about it that I love watching. I’m a fan of basketball. I’m watching all the time and to see him progress as an athlete.”
Maxey certainly loves the game of basketball. The young guard out of Kentucky has a passion for the game and it’s why he’s been able to move forward as much as he has been able to.
“To see him as a one-man fast break and his team be OK with that,” Vaughn continued. “To see him play pick-and-roll and his team be OK with that. To see him take and make big shots, his team be OK with that. To score 50 points in a game and still give the credit to your teammates. I think that exudes what kind of person he is. That’s me from the outside looking in, but he plays with a sense of joy that I appreciate.”
Vaughn and the Nets matched up with the Sixers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs and this group is much different than the team the Nets faced due to the play of Maxey and the additions of Nic Batum, Robert Covington, Patrick Beverley among others.
“They’re a different team than when we faced in the playoffs just because of Maxey leading the charge,” Vaughn finished. “It makes them entirely different. Even the components coming off the bench whether that’s Batum, Covington, that mix, (Danuel) House, all the above. No PJ Tucker, no Harden, so different components that present different problems from last year.”
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