It’s hard to argue with the success of the 76ers this season. And it’s the same in which they traded high-scoring guard James Harden to the Clippers (per Harden’s request).
Yet the Sixers look every bit as good as they did last season, perhaps even better. Yes, reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid has plenty to do with that. But anyone who follows the Sixers knows that the rise of guard Tyrese Maxey does, too.
Maxey was already good. This season, he’s been borderline great. And coach Nick Nurse told reporters he thinks Maxey deserves a spot in the All-Star Game, which is returning to an East vs. West format this season.
“He’s making a great case,” Nurse said, via Ky Carlin of USA Today. “I think everybody’s certainly seen yet another big step up for him. I put a lot of stock in where your team is in the standings, right? I know a lot of people talk about that, right? For me, that’s like way up there. Start at the top and you start looking at who’s impacting the teams that are winning big time, right?”
Maxey, 23, is averaging career-highs of 25.9 points, 6.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 32 games. This is his fourth NBA season.
“His numbers say that he’s really close or there,” Nurse said. “I think our team success has a lot to do with it so I think he’s making a very, very strong case.”
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