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Despite many doubts from the fans during the summer, the Philadelphia 76ers have started 2023-24 with a bang.
They have a 10-4 record so far and have impressed and even surprised some who thought this season would be filled with turmoil because of fallout from the James Harden trade saga.
But the 76ers apparently don’t need Harden to succeed, as Tyrese Maxey has stepped up and filled the void.
According to ClutchPoints, the combination of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is the highest-scoring duo in the league, with an average of 58.7 combined points per game.
They are followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.
Highest scoring duos in the NBA this season
58.7 — Joel Embiid/Tyrese Maxey
54.8 — Giannis/Damian Lillard
54.5 — Luka Doncic/Kyrie Irving
49.5 — Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown
48.4 — LeBron James/Anthony Davis pic.twitter.com/4n6CfjrgnW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 22, 2023
Maxey has been an important part of the Sixers for several seasons now but 2023-24 has seen him evolve into a much better player.
He is averaging 27 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7 assists, compared to his 20.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists from last season.
Maxey is exactly what Philadelphia needed, exactly when they needed it.
When Harden left the team, there was no doubt that he was taking a lot of points with him.
Harden can still be an A-plus scorer and the combination of him and Embiid seemed to be getting better.
But Maxey was there to pick up the pieces and has become a very reliable number-two option for the team.
The 76ers were written off by many after the Harden trade, as most people felt they wouldn’t be able to push past Eastern Conference rivals like the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
Those teams, and others, are still tough competition but Maxey is giving fans a reason to believe.
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