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Jaylen Brown’s Tyrese Maxey admission could unlock the 76ers’ loaded roster
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- Jaylen Brown’s Tyrese Maxey admission could unlock the 76ers’ loaded roster
Jaylen Brown's Tyrese Maxey admission could unlock the 76ers' loaded roster originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Jaylen Brown knows what it takes to lead a championship team. In Philadelphia, though, he is making clear that the 76ers already have a leader.
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"Maxey's been leading the way, 100%. He's been here, this is his team," Brown said. "Him and Joel have been here for a while, so the mindset has been to complement those guys. I'm finding my footing, but Maxey's been leading the way for sure."
That message could matter as much as any early-season stat line for a Philadelphia roster packed with established names. Brown is a former NBA champion and Finals MVP. LeBron James is a four-time champion. Joel Embiid is a former MVP. Yet Brown is publicly backing Maxey, the homegrown guard who has become the engine of the team.
The 76ers improved to 7-1 with Monday's 126-107 win over Chicago, their fourth consecutive victory. Maxey finished with 26 points and 11 assists, scoring 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. Brown added 25 points and 11 rebounds as all five Philadelphia starters reached double figures.
Maxey is earning the keys
Brown's comments followed another game in which Maxey took over when Philadelphia needed a closer. The guard's late scoring helped the 76ers turn a competitive game into a comfortable win, while his 11 assists showed how he can direct an offense that includes several players accustomed to having the ball.
There is a difference between saying a teammate is important and acknowledging that he is the one leading the group. Brown's wording does the latter. He recognizes that Maxey and Embiid have been the foundation in Philadelphia and says his own job is to fit around them.
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That approach could spare the 76ers some of the usual friction that comes with assembling a star-heavy roster. Brown has no need to force a pecking-order debate. He is an elite scorer in his own right, but he is signaling that the team's success comes first.
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A promising sign for a new group
Philadelphia's record is an encouraging start, but the season is young and the roster is still learning how to play together. Brown said he is "finding my footing," a candid admission that the adjustment remains in progress even as the team wins.
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If Maxey keeps controlling the game and Brown continues to buy into a complementary role, the 76ers could have the balance their collection of stars needs. Brown's endorsement will not guarantee anything in May, but it gives the team a healthy place to begin: Maxey leads, and the rest of the group is ready to follow.
