Tyrese Maxey is learning the Sixers need him to be more selfish: ‘Isos are good for you, too’

CHICAGO — Tyrese Maxey must be more aggressive.

The 76ers’ third-year guard can’t always defer to James Harden and Joel Embiid. While they are both future Hall of Famers, Maxey must become selfish on occasion and slot Embiid and Harden to second and third options.

That initiative, along with continued defensive improvement, are the best ways Maxey can help the Sixers start to resemble the Eastern Conference contender they were expected to be.

Now, I’m not saying it’s time to totally pass the torch to Maxey. In Embiid, the Sixers have the two-time MVP runner-up and arguably one of the league’s top 5 players.

» READ MORE: Sixers-Raptors takeaways: James Harden displays selfless leadersip, Matisse Thybulle is far from same player

“But ... the kid can play,” coach Doc Rivers said, “and we’ve just got to keep trusting him and keep giving him the ball. Each night like [Friday] gives everyone more confidence to do it.”

He put on a show in Friday’s 112-90 victory over the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena with Embiid sidelined with right knee recovery.

Maxey, who turns 22 on Friday, had a career-high 44 points along with eight rebounds and four assists. He also made a career-best nine three-pointers. Scoring 27 first-half points, Maxey joined Embiid and Hall of Famer Allen Iverson as the only Sixers to score at least 27 in a half since 1996-97. And he’s the first NBA player in the last 25 years to go 10-for-10 from the field, including 7-of-7 from three, in the first half of a game.

“I thought tonight it was important, because it was James,” Rivers said Friday of Harden deferring. “He just kept giving it to him. And I kept telling Tyrese, ‘Isos are good for you, too.’”

So this was the first game Maxey kept the ball on isolation plays instead of deferring to Harden. That was good for the Sixers. With his elite speed, Maxey just can’t sit back and watch.

But this wasn’t the first time he dominated a game in which Embiid was unavailable.

Maxey got his first career start on Jan. 9, 2021, against the Denver Nuggets because the Sixers only had eight active players because of injuries and the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

The 115-103 loss turned out to be a great opportunity for Maxey to showcase his skills.

He finished with 39 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals. In the process, he joined Iverson and Hal Greer, another Hall of Famer, as the only rookies in franchise history to score at least 39 points in a game.

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Last season, still with Embiid out, he scored 33 points in a 122-119 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies (Jan. 31). .Maxey also had 28 points in a 113-106 win against the Miami Heat (March 21). Harden, who the Sixers acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a February trade, also missed the Heat game.

Now, the next step is for Maxey to consistently take over portions of games with Embiid on the floor. The Sixers would be tough to stop in the paint in that case, especially with Maxey attacking the rim and Embiid posting up.

Embiid is a dominant presence who is routinely double- and triple-teamed. That attention would create easy baskets for Maxey. Then, if opponents stop double-teaming and focus on Maxey, Embiid will feast in the paint. Perhaps realizing that, Embiid approached Maxey on the bench Friday night during a timeout.

“He said, ‘You know how hard you work. You need to be this aggressive all the time,’” Maxey said. “’Don’t let whoever is on the court [change that approach.].’ He’s like a big brother. So when your big brother believes in you, and James, as well, my entire team, because they are all older than me, they’re all my big brothers.

“But when they believe in you and your teammates believe in you, it puts that confidence in yourself as well.”

That’s good for the Sixers because Maxey must continue to play this way. He can’t always take a backseat to his future Hall of Fame big brothers. His speed, quickness, and ability to make clutch shots elevates the offense to a different level.

The Sixers know it, and want to see more of it.

“That’s why I’ve been on him,” Embiid said. “He’s one of the best shooters and he has the potential to be up there. You know, a great stroke. He can really shoot the ball, great form and he makes them.

“There’s a reason I’m always on him to just let it fly. He’s got to get up 10 to 15 threes a game. That’s how good of a shooter he is.”

P.J. Tucker knew early on in Friday’s game that Maxey would have a special night.

» READ MORE: Tyrese Maxey’s career-high 44 points propels Sixers to 112-90 victory over Toronto Raptors

“When I saw that second three, I was like ‘Rese is going to go for 40 today,” Tucker said. “I was on the weakside. I could just see it. The energy. I’ve been around long enough and you could just tell when one of those games are about to happen.

“With Joel being out and knowing how the floor was going to be open. Give him all that space to move and work, I already knew what time it was.”

Tucker said the Sixers will, in certain moments, encourage him to go get it.

“I encourage him the most, because I see it,” he said. “I’m out there with him so much, so I see it for sure.”