00:44 ET
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Tim BontempsESPN
PHILADELPHIA – In the days before the 76ers and Toronto Raptors first round, the focus was on how effective James Harden will be against Toronto’s long, changing defenses.
In match 1 on Saturday night, however, another 76ers guard stole the show.
Tyris Maxi’s 38 points, including a 21-point explosion in the third quarter, helped Philadelphia win 131-111 in front of 20,610 spectators at the Wells Fargo Center. This was the last definite reminder of how far Maxi has progressed in his second season.
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“His speed is a factor,” said 76ers coach Doc Rivers. “We know we have to keep using him in space. Some nights he might drive to pass. Tonight he drove and reached the basket and hit.”
Maxey did a lot this Saturday night, making 14-for-21 off the field, including 5-for-8 from a 3-point range. While Maxey’s speed was evident last year as a rookie, his improved jump shot opened up his game. He went from a small, 30% scorer with 3 points as a rookie to 42% scorer with over four attempts for 3 points of play in Year 2.
On Saturday night, Maxey showed all aspects of his game, knocking down blows to the edge, tearing up Toronto’s defense to reach the edge and reaching the foul line, where he went 6-for-7.
The Sixers usually play slower than their opponents, but Maxi helped resolve their transition game on Saturday as Philadelphia made a concerted effort to get out and escape. There was no better example of this than when Harden hit a serious Maxi to lay in the third quarter, like a quarterback hitting a wide receiver on a route.
“He’s running away and you have to reward him,” Harden said. “He’s a great graduate. He’s making the right game. So I’m just trying to get him to keep going.”
Maxi’s performance was just one of many superlatives for Philadelphia at the beginning of the series. Harden still didn’t have the blast the 76ers would have liked to see in the fight, as a 2-for-10 in 2-point shots, but he still finished with 22 points. Much of this was due to his characteristic back 3 points and he finished 4-for-7 on a 3-point range. Harden also had five rebounds and 14 assists per game.
Joel Embiid, meanwhile, was also struggling to hit, going 5-for-15, but he was physically present inside, finishing with 19 points and 15 rebounds, including four offensive boards. He also made four assists and had no diversions.
“I mean, it really starts with me,” Embid said. “I am not disappointed. Somehow I invited the double and triple teams, which sent me all night. I was just trying to play right, whatever the victory brought us. I said it. I’ve played against them for so long, especially the same coach, I know a little bit about how they think and how they want to play, especially in defense, so I think it’s all about continuing to make the right games over and over and over and over again and I thought I’m pretty good tonight. “
Tobias Harris, meanwhile, had 26 points in a 9-for-14 shootout, along with six rebounds and six assists, and Philadelphia as a team reversed much of the perceived advantage of Toronto’s entry into this series on their own. Philadelphia had only four turnovers as a team compared to seven for the Raptors and had a 10-7 advantage in the offensive, two areas the Raptors were expected to control.
“It was a great match individually for some of the boys,” Harden said. “Then, for the team, the things we talked about last week, returning the basketball, not turning the basketball around and giving opportunities, I think we did a good job tonight.
After taking the reins of training camp as the team’s starting defender when Ben Simmons did not show up after requesting an exchange, and then effortlessly joining Harden after Simmons was sent to Brooklyn, Maxi again showed on Saturday how important has risen to hopes for the Philadelphia title.
“Tyris is great,” Harris said. “He has a game and it works well.
“I mean, he understands. He understands that you are putting in the work and great things are happening to you tonight. You know, tonight was proof of that.
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