The Philadelphia 76ers secured their second win of the season on Friday night, defeating the Toronto Raptors 112-90. Although a much-needed win to keep the 76ers playoff hopes alive, most attention fell on Tyrese Maxey, who scored a career-high 44 points to propel his team to victory.
In addition to shooting 15 for 20 overall, Maxey was able to achieve a career-best 9 for 12 from outside. 76ers coach Doc Rivers praised Maxey’s performance, calling the player “awesome” while acknowledging that the player also lead the team in rebounds.
Following his standout performance, Maxey made the following statement: “I just know how good we can be, I know how talented we are, but we’ve got to match our talent with the energy that we play with, and defensive tenacity,” he went on to acknowledge how his team stepped up as was necessary, particularly without the services of Joel Embiid, who sat out due to a sore knee.
Going into the game, the absence of Embiid was a major concern for the 76ers, especially given that Embiid is averaging 27.6 points and 10 rebounds in five games. As a result, the team’s performance was lauded all the more considering the absence of this key player.
