The Philadelphia 76ers are jockeying for better position in the playoff picture out East, which makes it all the more crucial for Tyrese Maxey to turn it up a notch amid his already impressive campaign. Unfortunately, it seems like he is starting to reel from the effects of having to play so many minutes on a nightly basis.
Since the All-Star break, Maxey has shot just 42.6 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from beyond the three-point line, while also coughing the ball up thrice per game. Those are certainly not characteristic figures for him, as he is usually an efficient, high-usage guard who rarely turns the ball over. This might be a quiet case of basketball burnout.
Maxey is averaging 38.4 minutes per game this season, which easily leads the league in that department. Nick Nurse and the coaches have not shied away from not giving him rest for extended durations. In fact, he has only played below 30 minutes in a game three time in this campaign — two against the cellar-dweling Wizards and another in a blowout loss to the Hornets.
And now, the 76ers are starting to face the consequences.
The 76ers are reeling from the effects of playing Tyrese Maxey too many minutes
With Joel Embiid out for the meantime and Paul George still out of commission due to a league-imposed suspension, Maxey has no choice but to be the dominant hand for the 76ers once again. But at this juncture, the mileage on his body is starting to affect the way he moves on the floor, and it certainly cannot be attributed to any fault of his.
The 76ers exerted him way too much, especially early in the season. And with his efficiency taking a hit, the team faces a more precarious situation given their mission after the All-Star break –– to get homecourt advantage for at least the first-round.
To make matters worse, unlike before the trade deadline, the 76ers no longer have the luxury of having capable players fill in for him in spurts. Jared McCain is no longer with the team, while Quentin Grimes has been so inconsistent.
There is really no going back from this. Hopefully, Tyrese Maxey can get out of his mini-slump as of late, although that is not to excuse the coaching staff from devising more ways to conserve his body and energy for the stretch run.