Tyrese Maxey delivered a composed and detailed reflection after the Philadelphia 76ers’ 106-93 win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, a result that forced a decisive Game 7.
Maxey scored 30 points and immediately pointed to the adjustment of playing alongside Joel Embiid again as a key factor in the offensive rhythm. “Yeah, a little bit of everything. He is a dominant force and he gets the ball a lot, so everything changes,” Maxey said.
He added that the group responded better overall. “But it was good though. Guys played the right way, played well.”
Philadelphia now heads to Boston for Game 7, a scenario Maxey embraced without hesitation. “Just got to go out there with the right mindset. It’s going to be a dog fight most definitely. It’s going to be fun.”
The guard stressed effort and execution as the defining factors. “We just got to go out there and play as hard as we possibly can. That’s it. Just go out there and leave it all out there on the floor.”
Maxey also highlighted Kelly Oubre Jr.’s two-way impact throughout the series. “He’s been great. I sent him a text last night and said, ‘Listen, bro, you’ve been great this series and your time is coming.’” He continued, “Defensively, he’s been amazing. His energy has been fantastic. He’s playing a lot of minutes and he’s doing it the right way.”
Paul George’s influence also stood out in Maxey’s assessment after George posted 23 points. “He was huge. Paul has been really, really good. He’s been consistent. He’s been a great voice, a great leader for all of us. We appreciate him.”
Philadelphia’s core trio, along with VJ Edgecombe and Oubre, has spent limited time together on the floor, something Maxey acknowledged. “We’re trying to figure it out. We’ve been having to figure it out on the fly, not a lot of practice time.”
He also emphasized Embiid’s offensive control in the second half. “He did a really good job. He got down there and made the right play every single time.”
Asked about the defensive identity of the team, Maxey rejected the idea of surprise. “Has it surprised me? I know what this team is made of. This team fights defensively, offensively, we share the ball.”
Looking ahead to Game 7, Maxey reduced the stakes to competition and execution. “Sometimes it’s not about the X’s and O’s, it’s about the Jimmys and the Joes. Our Jimmys and Joes got to be better than theirs.”
He closed with a focus on collective responsibility and control of the moment. “It’s going to be a roller coaster ride. As a group we just got to stay connected, stay with one goal in mind, and that’s just to win the game.”
The Sixers now travel to Boston for a winner-take-all Game 7 after splitting a physical, momentum-heavy series that has swung repeatedly in both directions.
