Tag: Tyrese Maxey

Sixers will continue to follow Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey as series shifts

The Philadelphia 76ers will continue to lean on star leaders Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as the series now shifts to Philadelphia.

NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers are returning to the Wells Fargo Center down 2-0 in this first-round playoff series with the New York Knicks. They had their chances in both games 1 and 2, but were not able to walk away with the victory.

The positives for Philadelphia are the play of star duo Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. In the Game 2 loss on Monday, the duo combined for 69 points, 19 rebounds and 16 assists. They were able to have that type of production despite Embiid dealing with a variety of injuries and Maxey dealing with an illness.

As the series shifts to the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers continue to lean on their star leaders, starting with Embiid.

“Very good,” coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid. “I thought he was excellent. Really outstanding.”

It is admirable to see Embiid play as well as he did despite the obvious pain that he’s in. Not only is the knee bothering him, but he was hit in the eye in Game 1 and is dealing with that as well. He has had a couple of dominant games to start this series for Philadelphia.

“It’s all mental,” Embiid added. “Obviously, it’s not the best-case scenario, but I’m good. No excuses. Play good or play bad, got to find a way to win.”

Then, there’s Maxey who fought through an illness that required him to have an IV. He delivered 35 points, including 15 coming in the fourth. It appeared his heroics would be enough before the unfortunate final 30 seconds for Philadelphia.

“He was ballin,” said Tobias Harris of Maxey. “That’s who he is and he made huge shot after huge shot for us. A game like that, you wanna get a victory for those types of performances and him just fighting through sickness and being there for the group. We’ll be fine. We just gotta keep our composure, stay level-headed, and be ready.”

The Sixers are down 2-0 and their prospects look rather bleak, but Philadelphia will lean on Embiid and Maxey to get back into this series. Being back in the friendly confines of the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday should help.

[lawrence-related id=94148,94136,94133]

Stephen A. Smith defends Tyrese Maxey, Sixers after Game 2 loss

Stephen A. Smith defends Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers after their Game 2 loss to the New York Knicks.

The Philadelphia 76ers had Game 2 in their grasp. Tyrese Maxey drilled a 3-pointer to put Philadelphia up 100-96 to silence Madison Square Garden, and it appeared the Sixers would even the series.

Then, the Sixers had trouble getting the ball inbounds. It appeared Maxey was fouled by Knicks star Jalen Brunson, but there was no call, and Philadelphia ended up turning the ball over. That led to New York’s Donte DiVincenzo knocking down a 3 to give the Knicks the lead for good with 13.0 seconds left. The Sixers fell, 104-101, and are down 2-0 in the series.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, a known Knicks fan, defended Maxey and the Sixers after the Game 2 loss and blasted the officiating:

I saw Tyrese Maxey get mugged if I’m being totally honest. He got fouled at least two or three (times). There’s no reason on Earth why that call shouldn’t have been made. It wasn’t made, unfortunately for the Sixers. If you’re a New York Knicks fan, it’s not unfortunate. Donte DiVincenzo got another opportunity, he took advantage of it, and the New York Knicks are up 2-0.

It’s extremely unfortunate for the Sixers, but the Knicks did what they were supposed to do, which is win two games at home. The Sixers must do the same thing when the series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Thursday.

[lawrence-related id=94136,94133,94130]

Tyrese Maxey gives his perspective on final possession of Game 2 loss

Tyrese Maxey gives his perspective on what happened on the chaotic possession in the Game 2 loss for the Philadelphia 76ers.

NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers had their opportunity in Game 2 against the New York Knicks on Monday. Tyrese Maxey hit a step-back 3 to give Philadelphia a 100-96 lead with 1:09 left to silence the Madison Square Garden crowd as it appeared the Sixers had it wrapped up.

Then, chaos ensued. Jalen Brunson pulled the Knicks to within two, 101-99, with 27.1 seconds left before Philadelphia had trouble getting the ball in. Maxey appeared to be fouled twice on the inbounds pass. However, there was no call and he ended up turning the ball over in the corner.

New York’s Donte DiVincenzo missed a wing triple. Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed the offensive rebound and kicked it back out to DiVincenzo for an open triple. The Knicks walked away with a 104-101 win to take a 2-0 series lead.

“I don’t remember,” Maxey said. “I just tried to get the ball. We threw it inbounds. It was hard for me to catch it. I had to sweep through a couple guys. I tried. I tried my best.”

A lot of the focus after Game 2 will be on the officiating. After all, the Sixers are filing a grievance to the league about what happened in both Game 1 and Game 2. However, if Philadelphia had just grabbed a rebound off DiVincenzo’s first missed triple, things would have been different.

“Just got to rebound,” Maxey said. “I can’t turn the ball over. I can’t lose the ball and we’ve got to get the rebound.”

Maxey had 35 points, 15 in the fourth quarter, to try and lift the Sixers to a Game 2 win. It’s unfortunate when considering he was playing through an illness that has been bothering him for a bit since Game 1 of this series.

“I don’t feel great at all, honestly,” he stated. “I don’t like taking medicine. Everybody knows that. I really can’t stand taking medicine, but I took medicine. I had to take an IV. I did whatever they asked me to do. I wasn’t missing the game. It didn’t matter. I don’t feel great.”

Maxey and the Sixers will have to find a way now to bounce back from one of the more heartbreaking losses they have ever had to go through and prepare for Game 3 on Thursday.

[lawrence-related id=94121,94117,94083]

Complete injury report for Tyrese Maxey, Sixers in Game 2 vs. Knicks

Here is the complete injury report for Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers as they get set to face the New York Knicks in Game 2.

NEW YORK — The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of preparing for Game 2 of their Round 1 series with the New York Knicks, but there are some injury concerns for Philadelphia heading into Monday’s contest.

De’Anthony Melton (back injury recovery) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise) both remain out for Game 2. One has to assume that Melton could return at some point in this series if he continues to progress in a positive direction.

Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery) is listed as questionable. He had the same listing heading into Game 1 before giving it a go, but he did have a scare in the first half when he took a hard fall on the knee.

Tyrese Maxey will also join them on the injury report as he’s listed as questionable due to an illness. He did not participate in Monday morning’s shootaround.

If Embiid and Maxey can’t go, then the Sixers will continue to rely on others. However, when considering the magnitude of this contest, one has to assume that both will give it everything they have to give it a go.

Tip off from Madison Square Garden is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT.

[lawrence-related id=94055,94049,94052]

Nick Nurse wants Sixers star Tyrese Maxey to play harder early in Game 2

Nick Nurse wants to see Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey play harder from the jump in Game 2 against the New York Knicks.

NEW YORK — When one looks at the box score from Game 1 between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks, one will see Tyrese Maxey had 33 points. The All-Star guard had a very solid performance on the road to help the Sixers stay in it after being down as many as 14.

However, it was something of a slow start for Maxey. He had 12 points on 5-for-14 shooting and 2-for-7 from deep at the half. He had 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting in the second half. That is the version of Maxey the Sixers will need in Game 2.

“I don’t need to see anything earlier from him other than he’s got to play harder,” coach Nick Nurse said on Sunday. “He needs to get involved and play more physical and get involved in rebounding and get involved in the physical nature of the game.”

To the point Nurse is making, if the Sixers get an aggressive Maxey early in Game 2, then maybe things will swing in Philadelphia’s favor. His third quarter was fantastic and he has to bring that same energy to the floor on Monday.

“I had some really good looks in the first half, some shots that rimmed out,” Maxey said. “I got one blocked. I just kept staying aggressive, got downhill, was able to make some plays for others. I got to the basket, got to the free-throw line for some points. It was good. I feel like I was confident getting downhill and going to the rim.”

Nurse and the Sixers will need that version of Maxey as they prepare to even the series in Game 2 before things shift to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.

[lawrence-related id=94045,94038,94028]

Knicks’ Shake Milton gives love to Tyrese Maxey before series with Sixers

New York Knicks guard Shake Milton gives love to former teammate Tyrese Maxey ahead of the playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers.

NEW YORK — As the Philadelphia 76ers get set to take on the New York Knicks in Round 1 of the playoffs, the focus will be on Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey looking to overcome the challenges of Jalen Brunson and a physical Knicks team.

Another smaller piece of the puzzle is former Sixers guard Shake Milton. The 6-year veteran out of SMU played his first five seasons in Philadelphia before signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason. He was then traded to the Detroit Pistons at the deadline and then was waived before signing with the Knicks.

Milton has played only six games for New York, but he has a strong bond with Tyrese Maxey and heading into the series, had a lot of love for him and everything he’s accomplished thus far.

“I’m not surprised,” Milton smiled of Maxey. “I just see the way the kid works and what the game means to him. I think that’s the coolest thing to see is just all the hard work pay off and every time I see him I just tell him keep going and don’t ever look back so it’s really dope to see.”

As far as facing his former Sixers team and seeing some familiar faces, Milton is happy about that. He has been close with them since his departure, but on the flip side, the focus will be on his time in New York.

“Yeah, it’s cool,” he stated. “I imagine we don’t share too many words until after the series is over with, but definitely cool to see the homies, get to hoop, and compete against them.”

Naturally, it is a bit challenging for Milton at the moment. He has had to fight through a lot in terms of adversity in the 2023-24 season as far as playing for three different teams.

“It’s been good, man,” Milton said of his season. “It’s been just a steady process. Not trying to get too high, too low, just continue to put the work in. You never know where this thing will take you and how things can change in an instance so just working, man.”

It has been good for him to play in New York. The Knicks have a lot of history and playing in Madison Square Garden is a treat for him. It’s something he cherishes at the moment.

“It’s been a blessing to be out here,” he finished. “Especially, out here, man. Coming to work with these guys every day. They work extremely hard and you can just see the detail that they put into everything and of course, playing in The Garden is crazy. Every single night is just an experience. So it’s been dope.”

[lawrence-related id=93986,93983,93974]

Sixers studying film of Jimmy Butler’s playoff runs to prepare for Heat

The Philadelphia 76ers are studying Jimmy Butler’s past playoff tape as they prepare for the play-in game with the Miami Heat.

CAMDEN, N.J. — Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is an interesting player to watch on a nightly basis. He is a good player during the regular season, but he turns into a different player once the playoffs roll around.

In the 2021-22 season, Butler’s usage rate went up from 26.5% during the regular season to 29.1% in the playoffs. His scoring average went from 21.4 during the season to 27.4 during the playoffs. His 3-point attempts from 2.0 to 4.0.

In 2022-23, his usage rate went from 25.6% to 29.1%. His scoring average from 22.9 to 26.9 and his 3-point attempts from 1.6 to 3.5.

“I think that, obviously you and I certainly know that he has a lot different numbers in the regular season versus the playoffs,” coach Nick Nurse said. “Just his attempts, time with the ball, his 3-point attempts — like everything goes way up for him. You could just simply sum it up as he becomes a lot more aggressive scorer.”

Therefore, it wouldn’t much sense for Nurse and the Sixers to study any film of his regular season. The focus is going to be on what he has done in the playoffs in the past.

“I mean, I think you’re foolish to sit there and look at any of his numbers in the regular season to see what you’re gleaning from that,” Nurse added of Butler. “So yeah, we’ve done some historical study certainly on what we expect to see. We’ve gone back to watch tapes from from series from a couple years ago.”

Butler is a physical player. He’s a smart one who knows how to get to his spots and draw fouls to get to the line and score his points that way. It will be interesting to see how the Sixers attempt to stop him.

“He finds his matchups that he likes,” added Tyrese Maxey. “He knows the spots he wants to get to. He doesn’t get sped up. He knows how to score the ball. He knows how to make plays for his teammates. He’s a competitor at the end of the day. He’s someone that doesn’t like losing so someone like that, you gotta go out there and beat them. You can’t just lay down and expect to win. You gotta go out there and beat him and he’s gonna make it tough for us.”

Regardless, the Sixers will be expecting an aggressive Butler on Wednesday. He will be looking to get the Heat off to a good start and it’s something Philadelphia will have to guard against.

“Again, we’re trying to put our best guess on — but I think it’s safe to guess he’s gonna come out trying to kill us tomorrow,” Nurse finished. “You’re gonna come out and be super aggressive and try to get his team going. For anybody to think he’s gonna be like, ‘Oh, he sure creating a lot and setting up his teammates a lot and not looking for a shot.’ I mean, that’d be one way to look at it, but I don’t know if that’s — I guess that’s the way to look at. I don’t know if that’s the right way.”

[lawrence-related id=93784,93781,93778]

Tyrese Maxey gives keys to attacking Heat zone, lessons from playoffs past

Tyrese Maxey gives his keys to attacking the zone defense from the Miami Heat as well as the lessons he’s learned from past playoff runs.

CAMDEN, N.J. — As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare to face the Miami Heat in the 7 vs. 8 play-in game on Wednesday at home, there is a focus on plenty of factors for Philadelphia.

One is to find ways to attack Miami’s zone defense. The Heat historically have employed the zone defense in an effort to teams, and it has given them an edge at times. It’s a key reason Miami is a top five defensive team.

Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers must find a way to attack it.

“They know their principles and they stick to their principles,” Maxey said on Tuesday at practice. “You gotta be able to attack the zone. The zone is made to slow you down, make you think. You gotta get in the gaps and find somebody to flash in the high post and get somebody in the dunker spot and it becomes easier to beat.”

A zone defense can be confusing if a team is not ready for it. Especially, for a Miami team that switches between zone and man-to-man on plenty of occasions. The Heat will send their wing players higher toward the half-court line which is much higher than a normal zone defense.

Combine that principle with the length and defensive IQ they possess, and it makes the Heat a very tough team to attack and score on.

The Sixers and the Heat matched up in the postseason in 2022 and Miami used the zone defense to slow Philadelphia on plenty of occasions. Maxey remembers that series and its lessons.

“I learned a lot,” Maxey said of the 2022 postseason. “I think every time in the playoffs, you learn something. No matter if you win or you lose, you always learn. I think I learned a lot from that series and I took it into last year’s playoffs and this year’s postseason.”

That series with the Heat, as well as the other postseason experiences, has helped him become a better player. It’s one of those things where experience really does come in and play a factor. That will help Maxey heading into the contest with Miami as well as the upcoming playoff run.

“For sure,” Maxey added. “I definitely do. I definitely do. I think every playoff series has made me a better player, honestly. There’s so many different mind games and so many different inside games you see every single day and not just the whole series, but game by game and the way they adjust. It’s really cool.”

Tipoff with the Heat is set for 7 p.m. EDT on Wednesday to determine the No. 7 seed in the East.

[lawrence-related id=93784,93781,93778]

Ex-Kentucky star Tyrese Maxey gives thoughts on John Calipari leaving

Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey, who played one season at Kentucky, gives thoughts on John Calipari leaving the program.

PHILADELPHIA — John Calipari sent shock waves through the college basketball world when he announced he would no longer be the coach at Kentucky after 15 seasons.

He compiled a 410-123 record and produced many NBA stars such as John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and Devin Booker. One of those is Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey. The All-Star guard spent one, COVID-19-shortened season at Kentucky, averaging 14 points and 4.3 rebounds.

With Calipari leaving Kentucky, Maxey offered his thoughts on his former college coach’s decision.

“It’s kind of a thing that I remember him saying something about Kentucky being a 10-year job,” Maxey told Sixers Wire. “So he kind of stayed a little bit longer than he said he would, but I’ve always been a Cal fan ever since he was with D-Rose. So I’ll always support him. He always had my support my full support, and he’ll do great whatever he does. Wherever he goes, or if he stays at home, and hang out with Mrs. Cal.”

Calipari helped prepare Maxey for the NBA. The Sixers have benefited from Maxey’s strong play and were able to stay afloat without Joel Embiid, who missed two months due to a meniscus injury. Maxey’s time with Calipari helped prepare him for moments such as this one.

“He did a lot,” Maxey added. “He did a lot, man. He was able to make me build my own confidence. He was someone who believed in me a lot. So when he believes in me a lot, he showed that he was way tougher on me in practice than he was a lot of the people, but I needed it, and it was good for me.”

Now, Calipari is headed to the University of Arkansas to become the head coach of its basketball program. It is a bit strange to see a coach leave one SEC school and go to another, but if you ask Maxey, if there’s anybody ready for that type of move, it’s Calipari.

“That’s really Cal,” he smiled. “That’s 100% Cal-like. Only certain people will do that and is ready for that type of smoke and it’s Cal.”

[lawrence-related id=93496,93492,93488]

Sixers vs. Pistons: De’Anthony Melton, others to play, Tyrese Maxey out

De’Anthony Melton and others are officially available for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Detroit Pistons while Tyrese Maxey is out.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers will play host to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night with work to do. With three games left in the regular season, the Sixers are looking to move up the standings in the Eastern Conference and climb out of the play-in tournament.

The Sixers will be short-handed against the Pistons. Robert Covington remains out, but Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry are joining him on the sidelines. Maxey is dealing with left hip tightness, and Lowry is dealing with a left knee effusion.

As for De’Anthony Melton, he is set to return and play in his first game since Feb. 27 due to lumbar spine bone stress. Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris are also available against the Pistons.

“I think it would be very limited, but right now, I just wanna see him get out there and play,” coach Nick Nurse said of Melton pregame. “We know what he brings to the team. He’s been around here for a little bit, but just to get him out there and see what he’s doing from an initial starting point is the main thing right now.”

Tipoff from the Wells Fargo Center is set for 7 p.m. EDT.

[lawrence-related id=93471,93468,93430]