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Tim BontempsESPN
PHILADELPHIA — Within the days main as much as the beginning of the first-round sequence between the 76ers and Toronto Raptors, the main focus was on how efficient James Harden can be in opposition to Toronto’s lengthy, switching protection.
In Recreation 1 on Saturday evening, nevertheless, it was one other 76ers guard who stole the present.
Tyrese Maxey‘s 38 factors, together with a 21-point explosion within the third quarter, helped energy Philadelphia to a 131-111 victory in entrance of a sellout crowd of 20,610 at Wells Fargo Middle. It was the most recent emphatic reminder of simply how far Maxey has progressed in his second season.
“His pace is an element,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers mentioned. “We all know that we’ve to maintain utilizing him in area. Some nights, perhaps he’ll drive to cross. Tonight, it was him driving and attending to the basket and making pictures.”
Maxey did loads of that Saturday evening, going 14-for-21 from the sector, together with 5-for-Eight from 3-point vary. Whereas Maxey’s pace was obvious final 12 months as a rookie, it is his improved bounce shot that has opened up his recreation. He went from a low-volume, 30% 3-point shooter as a rookie to a 42% shooter on over 4 3-point makes an attempt per recreation in Yr 2.
On Saturday evening, Maxey confirmed off all aspects of his recreation, pulling down pictures on the rim, tearing by means of Toronto’s protection to get to the rim and attending to the foul line, the place he went 6-for-7.
The Sixers usually play slower than their opponents, however Maxey helped key their transition recreation Saturday, as Philadelphia made a concerted effort to get out and run. There was no higher instance of that than when Harden hit a streaking Maxey for a layup within the third quarter, like a quarterback hitting a large receiver on a go route.
“He is operating, and you bought to reward him,” Harden mentioned. “He is a terrific finisher. He makes the appropriate play. So simply attempting to attempt to get him to maintain going.”
Maxey’s efficiency was simply one among many superlatives for Philadelphia within the sequence opener. Harden nonetheless did not have the type of burst the 76ers wish to see within the paint, going 2-for-10 on 2-point pictures, however he nonetheless completed with 22 factors. A lot of that was due to his signature step-back 3-pointers, and he completed 4-for-7 from 3-point vary. Harden additionally had 5 rebounds and 14 assists to only one turnover.
Joel Embiid, in the meantime, additionally struggled to hit pictures, going 5-for-15, however he was a bodily presence inside, ending with 19 factors and 15 rebounds, together with 4 offensive boards. He additionally had 4 assists and no turnovers.
“I imply, it begins actually with me,” Embiid mentioned. “Not getting pissed off. I type of invited the double and triple groups they stored sending at me all evening. Simply attempting to make the appropriate play, no matter goes to get us the win. I mentioned it. Having performed in opposition to them for therefore lengthy, particularly the identical coach, I type of understand how they assume and the way they wish to play, particularly defensively, so I believe it is all about me maintain making the appropriate performs again and again and over, and I believed tonight I used to be fairly good.”
Tobias Harris, in the meantime, had 26 factors on 9-for-14 taking pictures to associate with six rebounds and 6 assists, and Philadelphia as a workforce turned quite a lot of the perceived benefits for Toronto getting into this sequence on their head. Philadelphia had solely 4 turnovers as a workforce in contrast with seven for the Raptors and held a 10-7 edge in offensive rebounds — two areas the Raptors had been anticipated to manage.
“It was a terrific recreation individually for some guys,” Harden mentioned. “Then, for the workforce, issues that we talked about this previous week, rebounding the basketball, not turning the basketball over and giving them alternatives, I believe we did job of that tonight.”
After taking the reins in coaching camp because the workforce’s place to begin guard when Ben Simmons did not present up after requesting a commerce, after which effortlessly slotting in subsequent to Harden after Simmons was despatched to Brooklyn, Maxey confirmed once more Saturday how important he has change into to Philadelphia’s title hopes.
“Tyrese is nice,” Harris mentioned. “He has recreation and he works his butt off.
“I imply, he will get it. He understands that you just put the work in and nice issues occur for you tonight. You realize, tonight was a testomony to that.”
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