The Philadelphia 76ers have been on a roll ever since Harden took off and ran to the team he so desperately wanted to join during the off-season, the LA Clippers. And in the wake of his absence, Tyrese Maxey took on his role and was next up in line after Ben Simmons and James Harden failed to be Joel Embiid’s co-star players on court.
So was the blockbuster trade a good call? For the Sixers, the answer is definitely yes. Maxey took to the court and showed just how great he can be, and the most important part is that he can thrive without sacrificing or hurting the performances of his teammates; in fact, he elevates them.
And if his latest performance doesn’t tell people how good of a player he is, then what will? On Monday, Maxey, in the words of the Gen-Z kids, “ate” as he recorded a jaw-dropping, career-high of 50 points in the Sixers’ game against the Indiana Pacers. He also posted seven rebounds, five assists, and three blocks throughout the match.
50 PTS | 7 REB | 5 AST | 3 BLK
a nifty fifty for @TyreseMaxey. @PALottery pic.twitter.com/FrQ1XFCCUn
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 13, 2023
His feat is perhaps the most celebrated one so far this week. And he deserves it; he deserves all the recognition he’s getting. Joel Embiid even went so far as to call Maxey “the franchise.”
But, Maxey, being the humble person that he is, said that his brilliant performance had nothing to do with him and that it was all thanks to Kelly Oubre Jr.
“Man, this had nothing to do with me. This is all Kelly Oubre, man. We praying for him man, love my dawg. I just met him, but I love him. I hope he gets well soon.”
Maxey did it for Kelly Oubre 🙌 pic.twitter.com/0vawR803e3
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 13, 2023
Oubre was involved in a vehicular accident recently and is, fortunately, now in a stable condition.
Maxey’s 50 points and Joel Embiid’s 37 points led the team to win against the Indiana Pacers 137-126, bringing their record to 8-1. The team currently sits at No. 1 in the Eastern Conference rankings, edging past the Celtics, with a record of 7-2, and the Pacers, with a record of 6-4.
Cover Photo: IG