The Philadelphia 76ers’ offense continues to rely too heavily on a single scoring option -- first Joel Embiid, now Tyrese Maxey -- rather than attacking opponents from multiple angles. In the Sixers’ 123-91 loss to the Boston Celtics, Maxey looked like a one-man army as head coach Nick Nurse struggled to find an effective plan that did not center around the electric guard. If Philadelphia cannot provide Maxey with more support in Game 2, another embarrassing defeat could be looming.
This is nothing new to the 76ers' faithful, an entire roster pinning its postseason hopes on one star. When that player does not turn in an outrageous scoring performance, the final result of the game usually ends disappointingly. Case in point, the Sixers' first game in the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Celtics. When Maxey's shot was not falling, the coaching staff failed to formulate a secondary offensive plan to alter the momentum of the fixture.
Philadelphia must share the offensive responsibility in Game 2
Before the series had even begun, the 76ers were considered major underdogs in this matchup, and rightfully so as they headed into a series without their franchise cornerstone in Joel Embiid. However, Boston's utter dominance and Philadelphia's lack of innovation decimated the little hope that the travelling Sixers supporters had.
From the opening tip, it was clear that Nick Nurse was hoping to ride Tyrese Maxey's scoring antics from the regular season. Play after play, Maxey isolated his defender and drove into the paint, or the team executed a high volume of dribble hand-offs until the ball landed in his hands. Against a savvy coach like Joe Mazzulla, an offensive blueprint of this nature is one minor tactical tweak away from being completely ineffective.
On the night, Maxey recorded 21 points and eight assists, while sinking eight of his 20 field-goal attempts. In the first quarter alone, the Kentucky alum scored nine of the 76ers' 18 points. VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. both tried to provide offensive support, attempting 16 and 14 shots, respectively. Nevertheless, their efforts proved ineffective, as each shot below 40% from the field.
The most concerning statistic of all revolved around Paul George. After returning from his 25-game suspension for breaching the NBA's anti-drug policy, George had been in impressive form on both sides of the ball. Despite this exciting resurgence, the 76ers created just eight shooting opportunities for the veteran -- two of which came from deep. Even then, the term “created” is used loosely, as most of his attempts were difficult turnaround jumpers that offered little chance of success.
Philadelphia can still carry hope into Game 2 of the series, but Nick Nurse must make several tactical alterations. The most dangerous teams boast a versatile offense, utilising several weapons rather than solely relying on one star player. Tyrese Maxey needs help offensively. The 76ers can’t keep depending on one player’s scoring to get them across the finish line; the head coach and the rest of the team need to step up and play their part in securing wins.
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