The Philadelphia 76ers were in need of a spark in the first half on Sunday against the Washington Wizards in Game 1. The offense had a tough time getting into a groove and they struggled to get downhill and converting open looks.
Coach Doc Rivers then called on rookie Tyrese Maxey to provide a bit of a burst of energy for their offense. He immediately made an impact as he got to the basket and he converted an And-1 up over Washington’s big men.
He only played 6:41 off the bench, but he gave the Sixers some good minutes in his playoff debut.
“Those were six good minutes,” said Rivers. “He’s gonna keep earning more would be my guess. I just liked the fact that, especially in this series, every series is different, but going getting downhill in this series is very important. He’s one of the guys that can do that.”
Maxey provides what the Sixers need and that is a guy who can get downhill, get into the paint, and create looks for himself as well as others. Philadelphia can benefit greatly from having him out there.
As he continues to work hard and get himself the experience he needs to develop, he can continue to make an impact on this team.
“Defensively, he’ll tell you he has a long way to go, but man, has he improved,” Rivers added. “Offensively, he’s really improved. Early on you remember everything was a floater. Nobody else was involved and for him to make that jump that quickly, it’s more about him than any coaching that he’s received or anything like that. It just speaks a lot about him as a person.”
One of the more important things about Maxey’s performance was that he was able to do so in a tough moment for Philadelphia. The Sixers lost Seth Curry for a moment after he took a hit to his stomach and he had to leave the game. Maxey came in and immediately provided some offense.
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“I love Tyrese, man,” Curry said with a smile. “The way he has a good balance of humbleness and trying to learn and a great work ethic and at the same time, he’s really confident. In practice, he listens to us, he’s working hard, and when we get out there in a scrimmage as a team, he competes with the starters and the veterans like he belongs and that shows when he gets in the game on the court. He’s gonna be good for a long time.”
Maxey’s willingness to learn is something that is huge on a team such as this one. There are a lot of people to learn from with guys like George Hill, Danny Green, Curry, Ben Simmons, and others.
“That boy’s good,” said Hill with a laugh. “I’m super impressed with Maxey. I love the kid, I love his heart, I love what he brings to the table. He’s a sponge, he’s always trying to get better, he’s in here every day working for numerous hours and that’s what you want to see out of a rookie.”
Hill has been around the league so he has had the chance to see some impressive young players and Maxey has a chance to be one of those top players in the league. He just has to continue to keep working.
“I’ve been a part of some great rookies in De’Aaron Fox, Collin Sexton, and he has what those guys have,” Hill added. “A high motor and are willing to learn and take the keys and drive that car. I know he’s going to be a great guard in this league for many many years and I’m just happy to be a part of it as a stepping stone to his career.”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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