The Philadelphia 76ers were dragged by Tyrese Maxey to an incredible overtime victory over the Indiana Pacers tonight, as the 76ers secured the 118-114 win over the Pacers. It was a tight game throughout, with both teams exchanging leads, and the largest gap in the game not being higher than nine points.
Tyrese Maxey was absolutely phenomenal, as he put on one of his best performances ever, scoring 45 points, along with four rebounds and four assists. The rest of the 76ers all played at a decent level to secure their first win this season, with Caleb Martin providing 17 points, 12 rebounds, and one assist. Eric Gordon delivered big from the bench with 15 points.
The Pacers were, unsurprisingly, led by Tyrese Haliburton, who has established himself as the leader of the team, tonight delivering 22 points with four rebounds and two assists. Pascal Siakam was right behind him with 17 points, five rebounds, and six assists, and Obi Toppin provided valuable scoring off the bench with 15 points.
Here are three important takeaways from this battle between two Eastern Conference giants:
76ers Stat Leaders:
Tyrese Maxey: 45 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK (14-32 FG, 5-17 3PT, 12-15 FT)
Caleb Martin: 17 PTS, 12 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL (6-16 FG, 1-5 3PT, 4-6 FT)
Eric Gordon: 15 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK (5-10 FG, 2-7 3PT, 3-4 FT)
Kelly Oubre Jr.: 14 PTS, 8 REB, 2 AST (6-18 FG, 0-4 3PT, 2-3 FT)
Andre Drummond: 9 PTS, 17 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK (4-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, 1-1 FT)
Pacers Stat Leaders:
Tyrese Haliburton: 22 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK (8-18 FG, 4-9 3PT, 2-5 FT)
Pascal Siakam: 17 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 1 BLK (7-11 FG, 2-4 3PT, 1-2 FT)
Obi Toppin: 15 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL (4-8 FG, 1-3 3PT, 6-7 FT)
Myles Turner: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 4 STL, 1 BLK (4-11 FG, 2-5 3PT, 4-8 FT)
Aaron Nesmith: 10 PTS, 7 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL (2-4 FG, 1-1 3PT, 5-5 FT)
76ers In Safe Hands With Tyrese Maxey
The Philadelphia 76ers would have been incredibly concerned for their season when Paul George and Joel Embiid both sustained injuries that would keep them away from the team for the first few games of the season. With two of their three best players out injured, the onus fell to young Tyrese Maxey.
And in this situation, Maxey has not shied away from his responsibility, playing really well in his first three games in the NBA. So far, Maxey is averaging 31.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. And if he can continue playing at this level till George and Embiid return, the 76ers will feel a lot more safe in the East.
The 76ers shot 42.9% (42-98) from the field, 26.2% (11-42) from beyond the arc, and 23-31 from the stripe (74.2%). They ended the game with 9 steals and 4 blocks as a team, which will need to improve if they want to start winning more games.
Maxey’s performance tonight overcame what was an underwhelming night for many of their role players. While players like Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond played well, the rest of the team around Maxey struggled, and they will need to be better if Maxey is to lead the team in the absence of the 76ers’ superstar duo.
Pacers Must Make Tweaks To Their Game
In a game as close as this one, it’s hard to be overly critical of either the winner or the loser. Especially when you consider the big shot Tyrese Haliburton made with just three seconds to go to send the game into overtime. The Pacers didn’t play as well as they needed to in overtime, but they only lost the game by four points.
What will make this loss sting more isn’t just the close nature of the game, but also that this comes off the back of their trip to Madison Square Garden, where they lost 123-98 to the New York Knicks. Both games exposed some weaknesses, such as their defensive composure and late-game tactical planning.
The Pacers were decent offensively, shooting 46.4% (39-84) from the field and 40.6% (13-32) from the three-point line, but struggled from stripe, shooting 67.6% (23-34) from the free-throw line. But from the defensive standpoint, they managed to secure just 8 steals and 4 blocks, when both numbers should be higher.
If the Indiana Pacers want to prove that their run to the Eastern Conference Finals this past summer was not a fluke, they will need to make some changes. Tyrese Haliburton has been great, if not a little bit behind the 8-ball compared to where he was last season. But Rick Carlisle and the rest of the coaching staff will have to work it out so that the squad can turn things around.
Paul George And Joel Embiid’s Absence Is Felt
We praised the work that Tyrese Maxey has been doing in the first few games to lead the 76ers. And while that praise is absolutely warranted, the 76ers are still 1-2, and this was their first win of the season. One has to imagine what their record would be like if Paul George and Joel Embiid were fit and available.
Nick Nurse has struggled to build momentum without them, and the 76ers have had to field a much weaker starting lineup in their first three games because of that. Missing your two best players to start the season is not easy, and the losses have reflected that.
George and Embiid’s presence on the court isn’t just felt on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end, as they are two of the best defenders on the team, and in their stint away from the team, the 76ers have had to work that much harder to defend against opposing teams.
The hope for the 76ers right now is that Tyrese Maxey can keep them afloat till the duo make their return to the squad, and then, the 76ers can be properly assessed, as they will presumably be able to field their strongest starting 5.
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