Doc Rivers on Sixers rookie Tyrese Maxey: ‘He’s going to be a terrific player’ | Off the Dribble
With the Sixers roster cut way down by COVID-19 protocols and injuries, Maxey started and played 43 minutes. He scored 39 points, and his coach thinks he's got a bright future in the NBA.
ATLANTA — Happy Monday, folks.
The 76ers face the Atlanta Hawks tonight in a game in which they’ll be fortunate to have nine available players because of the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. They have to hope the end result is better than Saturday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets.
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— Keith Pompey (offthedribble@inquirer.com)
Rivers says Maxey is going to keep getting better
Doc Rivers has played with and coached Hall of Fame talent as an NBA lifer.
So the Sixers coach knows talent when he sees it. And he’s seen it early on in rookie guard Tyrese Maxey.
But the combo guard’s talents were more on display while scoring 39 points in a 115-103 home loss to the Nuggets on Saturday. Maxey made his first career start, logging 43 minutes, 45 seconds, due to the Sixers having just seven available players.
“I’m telling you, he’s going to be a terrific player,” Rivers said. “He’s going to keep getting better. He’s gonna keep getting smarter by just playing with all these vets.”
Rivers pointed out that Maxey’s performance came against a clever Nuggets squad. Denver (5-5) reached the West Conference finals last season. The Nuggets boast two of the league’s top young stars in Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. They are expected to turn things around and contend for the conference title.
“I guarantee you, he learned something from that today, for sure,” Rivers said of Maxey starting against the Nuggets.
Starting five
Marc Narducci gives his three reasons why the Sixers lost to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
David Murphy points out that Maxey was a star in a game that should not have been played.
Mike Jenson on how a big gift from Sixers super fan Alan Horwitz has Philadelphia Youth Basketball shooting high.
Sixers lose to Denver Nuggets, 115-103, with just 7 players due to COVID-19 protocols and injuries.
Getting testy flow
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets, 120-102, last night and hold the league’s best record of 8-3.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the game came when North Philly’s Markieff Morris got into a scuffle with Rockets center DeMarcus Cousins.
The two were called for double technical fouls with 2:15 remaining in the first quarter for their actions following Morris’ flagrant 1 foul on Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate. In response, Cousins body checked Morris, who retaliated by charging at Cousins, leading to the Lakers forward’s ejection.
Then Cousins was ejected minutes later after a flagrant foul on LeBron James.
Important dates
Today: Sixers at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m., State Farm Arena, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Tuesday: Miami Heat at Sixers, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Thursday: Miami Heat at Sixers, 7:30 p.m. Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia/TNT
Saturday: Sixers at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m. FedEx Forum, NBC Sports Philadelphia
Sunday: Sixers at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7 p.m., Chesapeake Energy Arena, NBC Sports Philadelphia/ NBA TV
Passing the rock
Question: It seems like Embiid is making much quicker moves this year than in the past. Once he gets the ball, he is making decisive moves in the post to great effect. Is this a product of Doc Rivers? — @MattArchambeau1 on Twitter
Answer: What’s up, Matt? Thanks for the question. I would say this is a product of Doc Rivers. However, it’s also a product of Embiid having teammates he trusts to make shots. I think in the past, he wasn’t decisive because he wondered if he should shoot or pass the ball. Now with Seth Curry and Danny Green, he gives the ball up sooner. He also knows that their passing will allow him to attack the basket quicker. So that has led to him being more decisive about what he wants to do.