76ers' Tyrese Maxey Shines Off Bench Again vs. Clippers

Although he didn't draw the start, Tyrese Maxey once again was a star in his role off the bench against the Clippers.

For the second-straight game, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey came off the bench. While Tuesday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers wasn’t just the second time Maxey came off the bench this year, it was the second time the Sixers brought the young guard off the bench while he wasn’t on a minutes restriction.

Maxey was named a starter for the second-straight season going into year three. Around training camp, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers showed resistance toward any idea that Maxey should come off the bench this year as the Sixers added more talent to the roster.

Through the first 15 games of the season, Rivers was true to his word, and Maxey didn’t give him a reason to change his mind. Averaging 36 minutes on the floor, Maxey put up 23 points per game while knocking down 42 percent of his threes in his first 15 games this year.

Unfortunately, a fractured foot sidelined Maxey for 18 straight games. During the time of Maxey’s absence, the Sixers found success on both ends of the floor, starting De’Anthony Melton alongside James Harden.

When Maxey returned after an 18-game absence, he came off the bench for 18 minutes. After getting the following game off, Maxey came off the bench for the next matchup he appeared in, checking in for 26 minutes. After that showing, Maxey was back in the starting lineup.

For the next six games, Maxey started for the Sixers. He averaged 20 points while draining 36 percent of his threes. The Sixers went 4-2 during that time. Although the Sixers found success during that small stretch, it was clear the backcourt tandem of Maxey and Harden was having notable struggles on the defensive end of the floor.

And before Doc Rivers could think to make the change of having Maxey come off the bench himself, the young guard made the call for the change.

“I felt like it was kind of trending towards that way,” Maxey explained. “I’m a professional at the end of the day. I feel like I’m a starter in this league, but I feel like our team is so good that I feel like we can have multiple people starting. At the end of the day, I think I played like 33 minutes. So, it is what it is. Just go out there and play. Do what I need to do to win, and we won.”

Maxey’s first showing coming off the bench for the Sixers without a cap on his minutes was a success. In 32 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers, the young guard knocked down six of his 13 shots for 16 points. Despite not drawing the start, Maxey played the entire fourth quarter for the Sixers against the Lakers, helping them close out the night with a one-point win.

On Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sixers kept up with the same trend. Maxey would check in for 27 minutes off the bench. Shooting efficiently from the field, Maxey hit on seven of his 12 shots from the field. He knocked down 60 percent of his threes. Once again, Maxey was crucial in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 of Philadelphia’s 30 points to close out the matchup with a ten-point win.

Maxey’s current role coming off the bench might not be what the Sixers wanted when they started the season, but it’s working as they hoped it would. The young guard is still helpful in Sixers’ victories, especially down the stretch, where he found a ton of success earlier in the year.

Over the last two games, Maxey has averaged 30 minutes on the floor off the bench. He’s knocked down 52 percent of his shots, hitting on 40 percent of his threes. Overall, Maxey has averaged 19 points per game, as the Sixers are 2-0 with their latest lineup adjustment. It might not be a permanent move, but it’s temporarily working. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.