Tyrese Maxey Give First Impressions of Postseason Play

Sixers rookie Tyrese Maxey offered up his first impressions of playing in the NBA Playoffs before Game 4.

Not many rookies have had a first year in the NBA like Tyrese Maxey. Being thrown into the fire with no summer league and minimal training camp was a huge challenge, but the 19-year-old has handled it well. 

Despite not having consistent minutes, Maxey continued to improve his game all season long. The growth of his game and some standout performances have made him a candidate for playing time in the postseason. 

Teams looking to compete for a title typically don't have rookies in their rotation, but Maxey has at least earned a chance to show what he's got. Doc Rivers has been a fan of Maxey's work ethic all season and has rewarded the young guard with a taste of playoff action. 

Maxey has played 51 minutes across three games against the Wizards. In that span, he has racked up 32 points, six assists, and five blocks. All while shooting 54-percent from the floor. 

After shootaround on Monday, Maxey sat down to take questions from the media. He went on to give some of his first impressions of playing in the postseason. 

"I think it's pretty much exactly what I expected. It's been cool to see the chess match between the coaches. How we mix up schemes and how we change things game by game. It's crazy playing the same opponent over and over and over again. It's pretty fun," said Maxey. 

Playing against the same opponent means seeing the same matchups every game. Maxey brought up that "it's like Deja Vú," having to face off against the same players game after game. 

Doc Rivers has used Maxey in a chess-like move in this series, making it coincidental that it was one of Maxey's first impressions. Rivers rolled out the rookie before Shake Milton in game three in an attempt to combat the speed of Washington's guards off the bench. 

It is still unclear how much of Maxey we will see in the postseason, but he has held his own on a bigger stage. Even in the bright lights of the playoffs, the rookie continues to impress. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.