Maxey needs to work on scoring more, for sure. He's getting better at controlling his speed and moves, which helps him score more consistently around the hoop. But, he still needs to up his game when it comes to shooting from mid-range. Right now, his accuracy on those shots is only at 38.6%, which isn't great (177 out of 458 attempts). Hopefully, with some solid offseason training and more space on the court, Maxey can bump up that percentage in the next season.
One thing that could really boost Maxey's game is getting to the free throw line more often. Even though he's often getting fouled when he attacks the basket, he only managed to shoot 5.4 free throws per game last season, which is kinda surprising. With his stellar free throw shooting percentage of 86.2%, the Sixers really want to see him get more chances at the charity stripe. If you watched the Sixers play last season, you might have noticed that Maxey doesn't always get the calls he deserves from the refs, which can be frustrating. But he's gotta keep pushing through the contact and making plays to show the refs he means business and get those free throw opportunities.
Sometimes it's hard to believe that Maxey is just 23 years old and got picked by the Sixers in the 2020 NBA Draft only four years ago. In NBA speak, he's still a young gun with loads of room to grow. He's been steadily improving every year, adjusting his game to fit his team's needs.
They're gonna need him to step up again this year. The cool thing is, if you've been keeping an eye on him lately, you know he's not just gonna improve his performance last season. He is going to demolish it.
During the 2023-24 season, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, received his first career NBA All-Star selection and was also honored with the Most Improved Player award in the league.
Challenging act to follow, but Maxey will need to step up. The positive aspect is, he has consistently shown that significant improvement year after year is his forte.
Keep in mind that it has only been a year since the Sixers traded point guard James Harden, in fact, less than a year. On November 1, 2023, Harden was formally traded from Philadelphia to the Los Angeles Clippers. With just a few days before the start of the 2023-24 season without Harden, the Sixers relied on Maxey to step into the playmaking role previously held by the 10-time All-Star who had averaged 10.7 assists per game for Philadelphia in the previous season.
The young guard faced a tough test, but he showed impressive agility in handling it. Throughout the season, Maxey consistently scored an average of 25.9 points and provided 6.2 assists per game, forming a smooth partnership with Joel Embiid that posed a challenge for rival defenses. Maxey was honored with his first All-Star selection and was named the league's Most Improved Player, acknowledging his exceptional performance.
Now, he needs to use what he learned last season and step up as the main guy leading the Sixers' offense, especially with such a talented team that could totally make a run for an NBA championship.
And he definitely still has room to grow as a playmaker.
Maxey's main goal is to level up his skills as a playmaking point guard. With Paul George joining the fold, it's likely that defenses will have to spread out more, giving Maxey more chances to shine in setting up plays. This change should make it tougher for defenders to simply focus only on Embiid like they used to. This fresh setup could open up many opportunities for Maxey to work closely with Embiid and form a solid duo with George. The extra spacing will offer Tyrese more options. He can attack the basket or dish the ball to the seasoned veteran. If things go as planned, Maxey is set to make big strides as the team's point guard this season. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him rack up more double-digit assist games, that is, as long as his All-Star teammates can stay healthy.
It's time for Tyrese to take the next step to being a bonafide NBA star and playmaker.
Sixers' Maxey needs to make the next step to being a star
September 30, 2024
The Sixers' budding star has shown consistent improvement in his young career with the Philadelphia 76ers, and his team will rely on him to continue this trend in the upcoming season.
Philly Sports Jawn
Jawn Madden
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