How Tyrese Maxey’s return unlocks new lineup possibilities for Sixers

Sixers Tyrese Maxey drives on Pelicans Willy Hernangomez during the 4th quarter at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Monday, January 2, 2023. Sixers beat the Pelicans 120-111Tyrese Maxey propped his left foot on a chair at his locker inside the Wells Fargo Center, an ace bandage holding an ice bag in place.

“That’s everything,” Harden said of his team’s return to health. “Just catching a rhythm, seeing what this team is really about and how far we can go, how great we can be on both ends of the ball. I think, so far this season, we’ve done a really good job of just that next-man-up mentality. … All of it’s going to come together eventually.”

Harden returned from a month-long absence due to a foot tendon strain in early December, averaging 22.3 points and an NBA-best 11.7 assists in the 13 games since. Monday was Maxey’s second game back, after scoring nine points on 4-of-10 shooting in 19 minutes during Friday’s loss in New Orleans before resting Saturday’s win at the Oklahoma City Thunder because it was the second night of a back-to-back set.

Rivers encouraged Maxey on Monday to use his speed to get his “fingernails on the backboard,” a phrase the coach repeatedly uttered as Maxey ascended into a dangerous scorer during his breakout second season. Maxey said he felt comfortable Monday with guarding his man, switching on defense and flying down the court. His overall confidence was an improvement compared to Friday’s game, when, on one possession, Embiid twice passed the ball back to Maxey to demand him to shoot.

Those three players are capable of creating pace with their ballhandling if what Maxey calls the opponent’s “hound-dog” defender is pressuring one of them. They can knock down outside shots — as evidenced by Melton’s and Harden’s back-to-back three-pointers to help seal Monday’s win — or get downhill off a pick and roll to score or create for teammates. Melton gives that group an elite perimeter defender to make up for the other two, who are both below average on that end of the floor.

Sixers pull away from Pelicans in fourth quarter for 120-111 victory to extend home win streak to 10 games

So Happy he is back.

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