How good are the 2023 Philadelphia 76ers compared to a season before?

The rise of Tyrese Maxey

22-year-old Maxey was handed a golden opportunity when Ben Simmons sat out for the 2022 season. He did most of it and jumped to 17.5 points average from 8 points in his sophomore season. No one could put a figure on the youngster for the 2022 season’s shortcomings. He was in the learning phase, and the team around him struggled when Embiid was off-the-court. Yet he reached career highs in all stats in the 2022 postseason, catching the eyes of the front office.

Now entering into the 3rd season, with James Harden as a regular starter and the addition of some veteran defensive-minded guards, Maxey accepted a bench role. It did limit his minutes but hardly hampered his productivity. He is still the 3rd top scorer with 20 points average in 32 minutes of gameplay. And most importantly, Tyrese is the leading three-point shooter for the Sixers, with the likes of Harden, Tucker and De’Anthony Melton in the team.

His performances with the 2nd unit are commendable. There were many occasions when the opponents couldn’t answer “Mad Maxey’s” athletic and explosive gameplay. He already has 24 games with twenty or more points in the game, with a massive 44-point performance against the Raptors.

If we can analyze the team’s hierarchy, 20 points performance from the youngster is what exactly Embiid and company would be looking for in the playoffs. His efficient shooting and ability to lead the second unit are added advantages for the team. We can expect Maxey to be a dependable piece for the postseason’s run.