By: Kylan Watson
After losing to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers faced off with the Utah Jazz who were also desperate for a win. Both teams traded blows throughout this game, but the Sixers used a Tyrese Maxey scoring explosion to rock the Jazz 127-124.
The Sixers finally got out of their offensive slump thanks to their returning first-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey who finally returned from an ankle strain in this contest. He played like he missed being out there on the court scoring 51 points (career high and most points scored by a Sixer in Salt Lake City, UT) and made seven/nine three-pointers in this contest. Philly needed every point he scored, and he started this contest making four/four three-pointers and putting his imprint on this game. Utah had no answers for him throughout this game they had to put three people on him just to get the ball out of his hands. His return could not have come at a better time for Philly who may be without Joel Embiid for a significant period time because of a lateral left meniscus issue. If he does miss a lot more games this will be a money-making stretch for Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris (28-points) who will both move up to the number one and two scoring options for the team. Both players scoring and playmaking outputs will need to increase to keep this team afloat until Embiid can get healthy. If Maxey can continue to score like he did tonight, then he will earn his nickname of the franchise and officially dub himself the future franchise player of the Philadelphia 76ers. Maxey will get a significant extension since he is at the end of his rookie contract. However, for Harris the road is a little bit more tenuous. He is playing to stay in Philadelphia and get his money. He will have to handle the ball and get them organized on offense like he did in this game. Harris has to play aggressive like he did tonight and continue to up his scoring to at least 25-plus a night like he did in this game. This is a comparable situation to last season for him. Where Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and James Harden were injured, and he had to pick up the scoring slack and he saved the season for Philly. He will have to do the same thing if he expects to save the season, and help the Sixers rocket up the Eastern Conference standings back into a top-three seed.
Despite the scoring explosion from both Maxey and Harris the Jazz were able to withstand the storm. They finally started attacking the paint because their three-pointers were not falling and that got them to the free-throw line. Then the flood gates opened they started hitting their three-pointers and retook the lead. The duo of Lauri Markkanen (28 points) and Colin Sexton (22 points) combined for 50 of Utah’s 124-points. Markkanen hit some backbreaking corner three-pointers to help his team get the lead and put the pressure on the Sixers. Philly finally put Tobias Harris on Markkanen, and his length gave him trouble as he played him tough and forced him to take well contested shots. When he finally started missing the shots the Sixers were able to hit some late free throws to pull away from the Jazz in this contest. Philly ends their season long five-game road trip with a win now they will need to get healthy heading back home as the All-Star break and the trade deadline approaches.
The Sixers will now head back to Philly for a Saturday night matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. Philly will need to continue to use ball movement in their offensive scheme to create high-percentage shots. Those shots should finally start falling as they head back to the Wells Fargo Center and in the absence of Embiid somebody will have to step-up and become the third scorer unless Daryl Morey brings somebody in by Wednesday afternoon via trade to be that third scorer. Additionally, the Sixers will need to stay attached to their man, Brooklyn is another team that will shoot you out of the gym if you give them wide-open shot opportunities. Mikal Bridges will get his, but if they can force his teammates to take well contested shots, they should be able to slowdown the Nets offensive scheme. If they can implement these things into their gameplan they can get their 31st victory of the season.