Account
76ers' Tyrese Maxey Says He'll Only Remember Game 1 Win vs. Raptors After Dropping 38
April 17, 2022
Tyrese Maxey dropped 38 points in the Philadelphia 76ers' 131-111 win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, but he told reporters after the game that he probably wouldn't remember his performance.
"I think the only thing I'm going to remember is us winning," Maxey said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).
Maxey went 14-of-21 from the field, 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, and all five free-throw attempts. He is the youngest Sixers player to ever score 30 points in a playoff game.
James Harden—who finished his 76ers playoff debut with 22 points and 14 assists—told reporters that Maxey has gone through a maturation period that helped mold him into the player he is today.
"I saw growth, man," Harden said. "I saw him from being up-and-down and not really having consistent minutes last year in the postseason to starting and having a huge role on a championship-contending team."
Maxey, a 2020 first-round pick, played just 15.3 minutes per game during his rookie season, averaging 8.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor and 30.1 percent from deep in 61 games.
The 21-year-old's role increased dramatically this season, and it's only benefitted his development. Maxey averaged 17.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor and 42.7 percent from deep in 35.3 minutes per game across 75 contests.
Maxey's emergence has allowed him to work well alongside Harden and veteran big man Joel Embiid. NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins even went as far as to call the trio a Big 3 for the Sixers.
With the 76ers expected to make a deep playoff run, it's no surprise Maxey feels he probably won't remember his individual performance on Saturday night. Game 2 between Philly and Toronto is scheduled for Monday night, so the team is now focused on the task ahead.