As the Philadelphia 76ers head into the 2022-23 season, they will be armed with one of the better backcourts in the NBA: James Harden and Tyrese Maxey. Philadelphia possesses a future Hall of Famer and one of the league’s rising stars.
In 21 games with the Sixers, Harden averaged 21 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds. Even though he was not the explosive scorer he was with the Houston Rockets, he did a great job of running Philadelphia’s offense.
As for Maxey, he averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 42.7% from deep. He shot 48% from deep after the All-Star break when Harden arrived in the trade.
In a ranking of the top 10 backcourts in the NBA put together by Bleacher Report, Harden and Maxey come in seventh:
He could continue to average 21, 10 and seven (as he did after he was traded to Philly), and plenty would suggest — probably truthfully — that he’s not the same player he once was. But, come on — 21, 10 and seven is still an elite playmaker.
And while Harden may be regressing, his backcourt mate, Tyrese Maxey, is almost certainly headed the other way. In 2021-22, the 21-year-old averaged 17.5 points and 1.8 threes while shooting 42.7 percent from three.
And if early returns are any suggestion, the games of the two meshed right off the bat. With both having the ability to get to the rim (Maxey as a slitherer and Harden increasingly like a battering ram) and hit from the perimeter, the Sixers were plus-12.8 points per 100 possessions when they were together.
The Harden and Maxey duo should grow even more in the 2022-23 season after a full offseason and training camp together heading into the season. The Sixers should benefit from the growing chemistry the two of them will have together.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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