Throughout the first couple of weeks of action, Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey landed some love from the league. The first week, he was the Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The second week, he was a nominee for the same award. After Monday's blowout win against the Chicago Bulls, Sixers star Jaylen Brown made it clear that the 76ers are Maxey's team.
When the Sixers got to face the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night, Maxey cooled off a bit. In eight games, he averaged 29.1 points and has been the clear leader in the clubhouse when it comes to scoring for the Sixers. His continued emergence in that department has caused Brown's averages to take a hit.
But the Pistons game was a different story. Maxey was brought back down to earth for a night. In 34 minutes of action, he shot just 5-for-16 from the field, collecting six points from the charity stripe. Maxey finished the game well below his season average with 19 points.
When most teams see their leading scorer underwhelm, it contributes to a loss. But the 76ers are proving they aren't like most teams. That starting five is stacked on paper, and it's showing up in the stat sheets. Bad night for Maxey? No problem--they have Jalen Brown issuing the league a reminder that he's a scoring star as well.
Don't forget about Jaylen Brown
The Pistons matchup was by far Brown's best in a Sixers uniform. For the first time since making his Philly debut, Brown notched 30 points. He led the way, making 11 out of his 19 shots from the field, going 3-for-5 from deep, and hitting on five out of his seven shots from the charity stripe.
Beyond his scoring, Brown came down with seven rebounds, dished out one assist, and picked up a steal. The lone block that he had came in crunch time, when the Pistons were making a run and teasing a comeback. Detroit star Cade Cunningham was attempting a three. It could've been a momentum swing had he made it. Instead, Brown deflated their comeback chances by swatting it away.
Jaylen Brown's start to the 2026-2027 season has been debated plenty, especially since Paul George is out thriving with the Boston Celtics. His scoring average is down eight points. Brown's knee also bothered him, giving him a slightly less athletic look on the court over the past few games. Was it a problem on Wednesday? Not in the slightest.
Brown led the way as the Sixers defeated the Pistons 112-106. They are now 8-1 on the season, showing the league that they can share the spotlight while continuing to lead the Eastern Conference.
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