one thing is clear Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid taste the ribs Tyrese Maxsey After poor performance.
The latest chapter of its dynamics is Sixers win 120-111 over- new orleans pelicans on monday. As Embiid was describing his Maxey return and performance (“he was crap”, “the first game was really bad”), Maxey sat a few spots away in his locker stall. was He interrupted and asked Embiid what he had told the media.
“Do you agree that you were trash?” said Embiid.
“Today? Yeah. But it was better than the first game,” Maxxie said.
“That’s what I mean,” said Embiid.
This was Maxie’s second game (and first home game) after missing six weeks due to a minor fracture in his right leg. He got a big round of applause when he checked in midway through the first quarter.
But the current Maxey is far from the best version of Maxey, and there are several reasons for that. First, he’s off the bench due to limited playing time. This is something he only did once during his breakout sophomore season.When Ben Simmons Holding on, Maxie joined the starting lineup and became a rising star.
For now, Maxxie is adjusting to his new Sixth Man role. On Monday, he used a heating pad to keep warm during his first stretch while he waited on the bench, and on Friday against the Pelicans, Embiid was in top shape. On his first play just after Maxey entered the game, Embiid swung the ball towards him and scored his 3-pointer on his quick trigger. After Maxxie didn’t get the shot, Embiid got frustrated with him.
“I was like, ‘I just got in,'” Maxie said.
Against New Orleans on Monday, Maxey scored 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting from the field, had two assists and had three turnovers, but the 22-year-old combo guard still struggled to burst or shoot. I haven’t regained my timing.
Expect a slow start. Due to a maniacal work ethic, Maxxie, who the Sixers sometimes have to order to stay home on holidays, went through long stretches of being unable to exercise at all.
“I’m happy and confident because my bones have healed,” said Maxie. “Now it’s about finding my rhythm with my team and going back to the gym and hitting the shots I know I’m going to hit, the shots I know I have to do, the shots I was hitting before. think”
Even if Maxxie is “out of sync” in the words of coach Doc Rivers, his reappearance in the fold is crucial as it will unite the team once again. Playing a full deck for the first time in months, Rivers capped off his final five minutes of the win over the Pelicans with a lineup he’s played eight possessions with this season. Harden, Maxie, Deanthony Melton, Tobias Harris and Embiid.
The logic of the 3 guard lineup was for matchups. Zion Williamson (Harris’ match) and CJ McCallum (Melton match). The Sixers used a smaller perimeter as the Pelicans did not have a secondary score. But there’s good reason to be intrigued by the Harden-Maxie-Melton backcourt moving forward.
“I think it can pick up the pace of the game, so this is a lineup we can go to,” Rivers said. “I like it more when Joel is on the floor. Because you’ve got 3 guards that can get you out of androll, and if they’re any help, you’ll get 2 guards that have the speed to catch and play it. ”
The concept of speed and pace is a big draw for teams that don’t excel in those areas. The Sixers rank 27th in the league in transition frequency, according to Cleaning the Grass. And thanks to Harden and Embiid, this will likely continue to be a grind-it-out half-court team.
Still, this lineup gives the Sixers the best chance of producing an easy basket. Embiid is their most impactful defender and increases their chances of getting stops. Maxxie, Melton and Harris might be his three fastest players on the roster filling the wings. And with everyone in the lineup able to push the ball, there can be transition opportunities.
In this video, the rusty Maxie doesn’t pass well, but that’s after Melton quickly pushes the pass for a 3-2 chance.
Here, Harden goes one-on-one in the middle of the floor after Maxxie and Melton fill in the corners.
“We had to do a really good job rebounding when it came to that lineup. I think we did a solid job tonight,” Harden said. “I think the more opportunities we have to represent these lineups, the better we are.”
Playing an opponent twice in a row mimics a playoff series with game-by-game adjustments. That happened Monday as the Sixers responded after the Pelicans scored 127 points against them in New Orleans last week.
One of the adjustments was against the Pelicans’ pick-and-roll defense. New Orleans was aggressive on the weaker side, putting traffic in Embiid’s face on a short roll. Sixers solution? Places a player in his spot on the strong side dunker and poses a challenge to the lone defender on the weak side of play.
Here, Harden directs Matisse Cybull to the strongside dunker spot before executing the pick and roll. Jackson Hayes Leaving the corner to stop Montrez Harrell, George Nyan make him pay
Harrell is a capable playmaker and Niang is a good catch-and-shoot player, but this setup can be even more dangerous in a three-guard lineup. Maxxie, Harris, and Melton all shoot over his 39% over the arc. So if Maxey is in the weaker corner (as in the case below), it’s Maxey’s open 3 or Embiid rumbles down the lane.
The brilliance of Embiid has become everyday. On Monday, he scored his efficient 42 points and had 11 rebounds, and his performance felt largely routine. Again he’s playing at MVP level, even though he won’t win any awards. It is the Sixers who build the best team around him to maximize the prime of such a dominant player.
One of the ways they do it is by using the three guard look. This definitely has the advantage of having all five of the best players on the court at the same time. The trio of Melton, Harden and Maxxie netted his rating of plus 11.9 in 67 minutes this season, most of it without Embiid. Playing them together and doubling down on Embiid’s separation is even more dangerous with the firepower around him.
“They will definitely make my life easier,” said Embiid. “We have three great shooters, great playmaker James, and when it comes to defense, everyone knows their job.”
Perhaps that lineup is too small to rely on in the most important games, but the Sixers now have the luxury of tinkering with it and finding it. is pleasing the biggest trolls in.
“It’s going to take him a while, but I’m glad he’s back,” Embiid said.
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(Maxxy Photo: Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE via Getty Images)
