PHILADELPHIA: Tyrese Maxey sat at his locker and held a chunk of paper with 51 scrawled on it — a enjoyable nod to Wilt Chamberlain’s traditional “ 100 ” photograph — in honor of the efficiency of his profession.
Scratch that.
Try, the day of his profession.
Perhaps 2020 NBA draft night time might need been the one Maxey milestone to prime the 23-12 months-previous guard’s landmarks Thursday in Utah. The Philadelphia 76ers participant discovered hours earlier than tipoff in opposition to the Jazz he was a primary-time NBA All-Star.
Good sufficient, for many. For Maxey?
With NBA MVP Joel Embiid sidelined by a knee harm, Maxey hit seven 3-pointers and dropped a profession-greatest 51 factors to steer the Sixers to their solely win on a 1-4 street journey.
Yes, the Sixers are Embiid’s group, and so they’ll solely go so far as the oft-injured heart can take them on one or two gimpy legs. Maxey’s breakout season means a minimum of the Sixers can attempt to keep afloat among the many prime groups within the East in Embiid’s absence.
“It was a big jump-up year for him,” coach Nick Nurse stated. “I always keep saying, the exciting thing is, I think he’s got a long way to go to reach his ceiling yet.”
For an evening, a minimum of, Maxey reached the highest.
The 76ers lumbered by way of a brutal first 4 video games of the journey, shedding Embiid to an injured lateral meniscus in his left knee all whereas Maxey sat out three video games due to a sprained left ankle.
Healthy sufficient in opposition to the Jazz, Maxey went wild and topped his earlier profession excessive of fifty — set Nov. 12 at house in opposition to Indiana.
Some notables from the sport.
— He was 17 of 27 from the sector, 7 of 9 on 3s and made 10 of 11 free throws. He’s the primary Sixer to have a minimum of seven 2-level area targets, seven 3s and 7 free throws.
— Maxey joined Embiid, who scored a franchise-greatest 70 factors earlier this month, as certainly one of 5 NBA gamers this season with a number of 50-level video games.
— Maxey, Embiid and Hall of Famers Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain are the one Sixers with a number of 50-level video games in a profession.
— Maxey, who now has 4 40-level video games, reached 51 factors and not using a turnover. He made his first six 3-pointers.
— Maxey and Tobias Harris mixed to attain the 76ers’ first 26 factors within the recreation.
Harris known as it a “beautiful thing” when he seemed on the scoreboard and realized Maxey scored a profession-excessive solely hours after incomes the All-Star choice.
Nurse tossed Maxey the sport ball within the locker room and yelled, “51, baby!”
Maxey instructed the Sixers social media account he discovered of his All-Star berth within the resort room. He tried to observe the choice present on YouTube TV however streaming points meant a lag time in the true-time announcement vs. when he heard his identify known as.
“My mom, and Joel, they’re blowing up my phone,” Maxey stated. “I keep trying to decline it so I can hear what Charles (Barkley) said.”
Maxey’s 51 factors bumped his season common to 26.3 and he’ll have to hold that quantity going for the Sixers to try to get wherever within the East with out Embiid. Embiid will miss a minimum of another recreation, Saturday at house in opposition to Brooklyn.
The 76ers are nonetheless finalizing a therapy plan.
Embiid, the 2-time NBA scoring champion, was damage after Golden State’s Jonathan Kuminga fell on the 7-footer’s left leg.
The 76ers are 30-17 and had been in fifth place forward of Friday’s video games within the East standings — however simply 4-9 with out Embiid.
“We had some shaky performances,” Nurse stated. “Then we kind of got in a groove and had some good ones. We got a bunch of good road wins without him. We kind of knew, we’ve got to be able to survive without him.”
Maxey made all of it good for an evening.
“The vibes are good now,” Maxey stated. “We needed this W.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
