Sixers: What to watch for as Raptors series moves north
What to watch in Sixers-Raptors Game 3: Maxey + Harden
In Game 2, the Sixers went to the James Harden-Tyrese Maxey two-man game more frequently than we’ve ever seen. Maxey set screens for Harden and left the defense scrambling to match his speed off the catch. Entire lineups were built around Harden and Maxey, which just wasn’t the case in the regular season.
Ever since Harden arrived, it has been apparent just how well Maxey plays off of his new backcourt partner. Harden is a master manipulator, using his dribble to lull defenders to sleep and hold the defense’s gaze. Maxey, meanwhile, is an absolute blur. If he catches the ball in space, he can either launch the 3-pointer (where he’s shooting 42.7 percent) or attack the lane before the defender has decided which angle to take. Maxey can roast a scrambling defense better than anyone on the Sixers’ roster, and his deep bag of tricks around the rim — acrobatic finishes, floaters, the occasional two-hand jam — makes him difficult to stop once he’s going full speed downhill.
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It’s hard to imagine a more complementary backcourt. Harden gets Maxey the ball in prime position to attack, while Maxey’s speed and shot combination help offset some of Harden’s current limitations. Harden can find Maxey speeding ahead in transition, he can whip pinpoint passes to the corner when Toronto’s defense over-helps (the tale of this series), or he can attack off the Maxey screen. We’ve even seen Harden screening for Maxey, which causes its own set of headaches for the defense.
There were plenty of people — both within the Sixers fanbase and outside it — who thought Harden would stymie Maxey’s development and take touches away. Instead, Harden and Maxey have formed one of the more symbiotic backcourt partnerships in the NBA, and done so in a very short span of time. It’s beautiful to watch, and it will be key to closing out this series.