Observations after MVP-caliber Maxey scores career-high 54 points in Sixers' OT win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Amid an MVP-caliber start to the season, Tyrese Maxey somehow raised his game again Thursday night.
On the second night of a home-road back-to-back, Maxey was special in Milwaukee, scoring a career-high 54 points in the Sixers’ 123-114 overtime win over the Bucks.
Maxey’s performance was far from one-dimensional. He also had nine assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
Paul George added 21 points, five rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes.
The Sixers had three players on the sidelines in Joel Embiid (right knee injury management), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Adem Bona (right ankle sprain). Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a left adductor strain.
The 9-6 Sixers will host the Heat on Sunday afternoon. Here are observations on Thursday’s Maxey-centric thriller:
George, Maxey key near-perfect start
George started his second game of the season with Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Justin Edwards and Andre Drummond.
Just like in his debut Monday vs. the Clippers, George scored the Sixers’ first five points. This time he added six more. The nine-time All-Star converted a driving layup through contact and then drilled a trio of long-distance shots. In a little over two minutes, he already had more points than he’d posted all game Monday.
Though George finally missed a heat-check jumper, he assisted the Sixers’ next hoop by tossing up a fast-break lob that Edgecombe flushed home.
The Sixers’ defense was solid in the first quarter and fueled plenty of open-floor offense. After an Edwards steal, Maxey hit a three to give the Sixers an early double-figure lead. Maxey and George totaled 23 of the team’s 33 first-quarter points and the Sixers had a 13-point advantage after the opening period.
Bucks storm back
The Sixers flipped the turnovers story of Wednesday night’s loss to the Raptors in the early going. They forced regular Milwaukee giveaways and scored the evening’s first 12 points off turnovers.
However, the Sixers’ lead shrunk once Maxey headed to the bench.
The Bucks began the second quarter by making a 10-0 run. With Milwaukee turning to zone defense, the Sixers relied largely on jumpers and had little success. Stops were in short supply on the other end, too.
Maxey continued playing tremendous, efficient basketball once he subbed back in. He ticked off his 15th consecutive 20-point performance to start the season when he buried a three late in the second quarter. The 25-year-old poured in 23 points in the first half on 13 field goal attempts.
Maxey’s performance not in vain
Even with Maxey scoring freely, the Bucks edged in front. A Myles Turner dunk put Milwaukee up 53-52 and gave the Bucks their first lead of the night.
Drummond’s foul trouble made the Sixers’ task tougher on the second game of a back-to-back (and with two big men unavailable in Embiid and Bona).
Drummond was whistled for his fourth foul in the first minute of the third quarter, but Sixers head coach Nick Nurse kept him in. He couldn’t manage an extended foul-free stretch, fouling Turner with 8:54 left in the third.
Out of necessity, both Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow played substantial minutes at center. Barlow had a couple of nice defensive moments in the third quarter, including a block on Gary Trent Jr.’s layup attempt. Maxey also had several impressive plays to snuff out Milwaukee attacks in the paint. Given his offensive output, his defensive energy was remarkable.
Nurse stuck with Barlow for the final 21 minutes of regulation. Drummond returned for overtime but fouled out with 2:49 left in the extra session.
The Sixers trailed by four points entering the fourth quarter. Maxey wiped out that deficit rather quickly, draining a mid-range jumper and then sinking a go-ahead step-back triple from 30 or so feet out.
He’s looked like he can score from just about anywhere this season and deep range has been a serious weapon. There were hardly any signs of fatigue from Maxey, who logged 47 minutes and still leads the NBA in minutes per game (by about three minutes). It’s not hyperbolic to say he very well may be the league’s best-conditioned player.
When Maxey finally missed a couple of shots, other Sixers chipped in timely baskets. Edgecombe (12 points, 10 rebounds) nailed a three and threw down a Maxey alley-oop. George and Quentin Grimes each made driving layups.
The closing minutes of regulation were full of twists and turns. Maxey stepped on the sideline and AJ Green then knocked down a three to knot the game up at 101-all. The Sixers promptly regained the lead when Maxey hit a cold-blooded corner three right in front of the Bucks’ bench.
Edwards had two big missed jumpers down the stretch of the fourth quarter. Following a Maxey turnover, Turner canned a three with 15.1 seconds left and the Bucks took a two-point lead. Maxey evened it up by driving into the paint, drawing a foul with 7.0 seconds to go, and hitting both of his free throws.
On Milwaukee’s final possession of the fourth, Ryan Rollins (32 points, 14 assists) air balled a three at the buzzer. Grimes contested it well.
Edwards scored five massive points in overtime, including a three to start the scoring. Grimes delivered a tightly guarded triple. Across the board, the Sixers made clutch plays to ensure Maxey’s effort wasn’t in vain.
Maxey set his new career high by making two inconsequential free throws with 12 seconds left. Everything else he did was essential for the Sixers, who are already well-accustomed to leaning on him late in games that go down to the wire.
