The road trip for the Philadelphia 76ers didn’t start the right way. They fell on Christmas Day to the Miami Heat ,and guard Tyrese Maxey had a miserable night, shooting just 4-for-20. It was a rare performance for him considering his usual efficiency.
However, he bounced back nicely in the final three games. He scored 23 points in a win over the Orlando Magic, dropped 42 while rallying the Sixers past the Houston Rockets and contributed 20 points in the loss to the Chicago Bulls.
His ability to bounce back is impressive, and he did so without Joel Embiid to take the pressure off of him.
“I think we’re on this road to him being a legit star player in this league,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters. “I don’t know when we’re gonna stop saying we’re on the road and we’re there, right? Probably pretty soon, right? These are nights that are good.”
Nights like the one in Chicago on Saturday are good for Maxey’s progression. He has to understand what it takes to succeed in this league as the No. 1 option on the floor. Without Embiid, that No. 1 option is Maxey, and he has to make the necessary adjustments.
“They’re good for him to again continue to figure out how to explore different situations and keep the team moving forward,” Nurse added. “Run the team. Keep executing when it’s tough out there like it is tonight. Keep searching for ways to get your shots up into score. Keep playing through the physicality and bumps. He was getting bumped all over the place and he kept taking it in there.”
Maxey’s stardom progression will continue on Tuesday when the Sixers return home to play host to the same Bulls.
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