Philadelphia 76ers superstar Tyrese Maxey has made it a point to build a lasting backcourt partnership with rookie VJ Edgecombe. It’s a decision that cost him individual stats, but ultimately benefited Philadelphia in both the short and long term.
It’s the kind of sacrifice that makes the difference between being a productive player and truly qualifying as one of the top stars in the NBA.
Maxey has played 326 minutes with Edgecombe on the field and 119 minutes without the exciting rookie. During their time sharing the floor, the All-Star guard has averaged 27.1 points per 75 possessions with a true shooting percentage of 57.1, per DataBallr’s statistical shift.
During the 119 minutes Maxey has played without Edgecombe, he averaged 34.8 points per 75 possessions with a true shooting percentage of 69.0.
It wouldn’t be entirely shocking if a superstar prioritized volume and efficiency over the development of a newcomer. Whether or not it would be the right decision is certainly open to debate, but the bottom line is that it has happened before.
But instead of fixating on what his stats might be, Maxey shows why he’s a true superstar by making sure he pushes his teammates to the next level.
Tyrese Maxey sacrifices personal stats to help VJ Edgecombe improve
While Maxey has played better without Edgecombe individually, the reverse is true. The rookie is averaging 0.8 more points and 2.0 assists per 75 possessions without the All-Star, but is also committing 1.7 more turnovers and posting a true shooting percentage of just 40.4 in 84 minutes without Maxey.
With Maxey on the court, Edgecombe’s true shooting percentage increases by 14.3 percent and his three-point field goal percentage increases from 33.3 to 37.5.
It’s also worth noting that Maxey is averaging 8.3 assists per 75 possessions with Edgecombe on the court and 5.5 without him. As such, it’s not just that he scores more points and keeps everything else the same, but that his role inherently changes.
Maxey goes from running the attack as a balanced scorer and playmaker to effectively going all-in on his scoring, while maintaining a demanding role as a facilitator.
It’s an unsustainable model that Nick Nurse may have deliberately limited its use. The 76ers are outscored by 3.5 points per 100 possessions when Maxey is on the court without Edgecombe and 8.4 when the rookie plays without the veteran.
However, when the dynamic duo share the court, the 76ers outscore their opponents by 8.6 points per 100 possessions.
Additionally, the 76ers rank in the 79th percentile in net rating, the 89th percentile in offensive rating and the 53rd percentile in defensive rating when Edgecombe and Maxey play together. As such, logic dictates that Maxey’s sacrifice will also pay off in the short term.
By helping Edgecombe find his confidence on offense, Maxey has shown the leadership and maturity a superstar needs to win meaningful games in the NBA.
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