Maxey Named Most Improved Player Can he win the award to lift the 76ers?

仰卧撑FTUer

2024-04-25 19:48Posted on the official account of Jiangxi Jiangxi Supine Push Culture Media Co., Ltd

The 76ers finally received a piece of good news. The NBA announced today that Maxey was named the Most Improved Player of the Season and became the second Most Improved Player Award winner in 76ers history (the first being Danner Barros in 1994-95). He will be a restricted free agent this summer, and this award opens the door for him. It's just that the 76ers trailed the Knicks 0-2 in the first round. Can Maxey's award lift the 76ers?

Maxi won the award, which is well deserved. He received a total of 51 first-place votes, 18 second-place votes, and 10 third-place votes, beating Kobe White in second place and pulling Shin Kyung in third place even more away. After Harden left the Clippers this season, Maxey was determined to take over Harden's gun and play a good role as the core of the 76ers' backcourt. That's what he thinks, and that's what he does.

Maxey climbed to the next level this season while scoring in the previous three seasons, averaging 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1 steal per game, shooting 45% from the field and 37.3% from three-point range. He averaged 5.6 more points per game than last season (20.3), was named an All-Star for the first time, and was voted the Most Improved Player. The 76ers are also glad to have selected him with the 21st pick in 2020.

Maxey's contract expires this year, and with his performances this season, the 76ers will definitely want to keep him. Payroll expert Sean Marks wrote: "Maxey can sign a five-year, $205 million contract with the 76ers. Maxey seized the gap between Harden's switch to the Clippers and took the opportunity to explode and fight for a big contract for himself, proving the 76ers' vision for the draft. He and Embiid were both selected by the 76ers at the beginning, and then they have been playing for the team, attacking the 76ers, which is a good story for the NBA.

However, with these two players on this team to hit the playoffs, the 76ers' record is not very good. Starting with the 2020-21 season after Maxey joined the team, the 76ers stopped in the Eastern Conference semifinals three times, and going back further, there were two Eastern Conference semifinals and one Eastern Conference first round. And this season, because of Embiid's injury, he not only lost the opportunity to compete for MVP and scoring title, but also the 76ers fell to 7th in the West, with the first round of the play-offs to defeat the Heat and meet the Knicks in the first round.

The 76ers thought they would be able to play a good game in the first round, but the Knicks were a tough nut. After the first two games, the Knicks actually led the 76ers 2-0. While there are cases in NBA history where a 2-0 deficit has ended up and a successful comeback, Embiid's series of 2-0 losses so far (4 times, 3 losses to the Celtics, 1 loss to the Heat) have never been able to turn the tables around. In particular, yesterday's G2 was the most prominent. With 47 seconds to go, the 76ers still had a five-point lead at 101-96, but the Knicks hit two three-pointers and two free throws to win 104-101. After the game, Embiid shifted the blame to the referees, but the result of the game could not be changed.

Maxey's performance in the first two games of the playoffs can be described as outstanding. He had 33 points and 35 points in one game, 10 assists and nine rebounds in Game 2, and combined 26-of-48 from the field (54.2 percent shooting) from three-point range to 8-of-20 shooting (40 percent) from three-point range, but unfortunately he couldn't get a win for the 76ers.

Maxey's award is his honor, but how to save the 76ers is what he is most concerned about now. Embiid also needs to be cheered, as his shooting and three-point shooting percentages were as low as 39.2% and 23.5% in the first two games, respectively, which is not a performance he should play. G3 after the 76ers return to their home court is particularly important. Can they be tough in G3? (Mao Mao Dad/Push-ups)

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