It isn’t clear whether this is news or not, but the reality is undeniable. The Philadelphia 76ers added Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in the summer, moves that instantly vaulted them into title favorites, but of course, one thing are the names and another is what happens on the court, precisely where Tyrese Maxey calls the shots.
Looking at what we expected from the Sixers on our weekly podcast, several of us pointed out that the 26-year-old guard would be the piece with the most usage on the team—he would play more—but there remained to be seen whether, with all the stars on the floor, he would maintain his leading role. Well, we are seeing it confirmed.
Of the 13 games Philadelphia has played (10-3), Maxey has finished as the top scorer in nine of them, also averaging 26.7 points to lead the team. In addition, he dishes out 5.5 assists to be second behind LeBron.
With such data, it isn’t surprising that the Sixers have again made him their spearhead tonight, ahead of Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid. In a somewhat tight game against the Toronto Raptors, Maxey stood out with 27 points and 8 assists. Here is his performance.
Beyond how well Maxey played, the meeting against the Canadians also meant that The King added another absence, so he has now missed three games. This time, due to his well-known sciatic problem.
