Heading into Monday night’s Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets first-round NBA Playoff matchup, most would expect Joel Embiid or James Harden to play hero. Instead, it was 22-year-old rising star Tyrese Maxey who put the team on his back, helping Doc Rivers’ team take a commanding 2-0 series lead.
During Game 1, we saw the Sixers run away with a 20-point victory, winning 121-101 on Saturday. In that matchup, Maxey mustered 13 points while shooting 3-of-8 from the floor.
The story was much different in Game 2, with Embiid and Harden both coming in well under their typical scoring averages of 33.1 and 21 points per game. Embiid chipped in 20 points, and Harden was held to just eight.
But it didn’t matter how much Embiid, Harden, or Tobias Harris scored (20 points), as it was Maxey’s time to shine. Starting in the 13th playoff game of his career, Maxey hit 13-of-23 shots for a total of 33 points, including six 3-pointers. Maxey was engaged on both ends of the floor, providing a jolt of energy from the tip-off to the final buzzer.
In a game that the 76ers began to sneak away with in the fourth quarter ending in a final score of 96-84, Maxey’s 33 led the way. Seeing that the 76ers scored just 96, we realize Maxey accounted for a whopping 34.3% of his team’s points. As we said, the young scorer put Philly on his back.
Now the 76ers take a 2-0 series lead to Brooklyn at the Barclays Center on Thursday night. We wouldn’t expect Maxey to keep up his dominant effort again on the road, but if he does, the rest of the Eastern Conference better watch out for this three-headed monster the 76ers have brewing.