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Tyrese Maxey was named the 2024 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year. Maxey was the favorite to win the award throughout the season after his incredible campaign notably steered the Sixers when Joel Embiid was injured. Additionally, he was also named to his first career All-Star team.
While honored by the award, Maxey seemed to have other things going on when he got the news that he was the winner. His mind was elsewhere in a faraway land of Westeros.
“I was laying on my couch watching Game of Thrones and a really good episode was playing on. I had TNT on in the background on my laptop and once I heard Tyrese Maxey, I got up and paused the show, get some energy, it was good,” Maxey said.
“Game of Thrones” is one captivating show but even hearing your name on national TV being called as you win an award can take your attention away from the dragons and back-stabbings of the fantastical world. Maxey made the comments in good spirits during a media availability.
Maxey was deserving of the award. He went from 20.3 points per game to 25.9 this season. He was 11th in the league in scoring. He upped his assist rate from 3.5 to 6.2.
His growth as a playmaker was one of the biggest differences for Maxey this season. He became the team’s main creator and exhibited a newfound confidence in running the offense, especially when Embiid was out for a lengthy time with his knee injury.
Tyrese Maxey comments on blown calls in Game 2 loss
The NBA released a two-minute report detailing the chaotic Game 2 victory of the New York Knicks over Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers on April 22. The Knicks won the game with a decisive 3-pointer.from Donte DiVincenzo.
He only got the shot after the Knicks stole the ball from Maxey on an inbound play with 13 seconds left in the game. Maxey was sent to the floor in the fight for the ball but no foul was called. The two-minute report admitted that Maxey was fouled twice on the play and the refs mistakenly missed the call.
Tyrese Maxey commented on the report as the Sixers prepared for Game 3 back home in Philly. Maxey took the high road.
“We’ve got to let it go,” Maxey said. “We had our time to grieve about it. That’s the past. Like y’all have said, they protect the home court. We have to do the same. So, it is what it is. We’ve got to let it go. We can’t dwell on it now. If we dwell on it, in a couple of days, we’ll be down 0-3. We don’t want to be down 0-3. We can’t leave the games in other peoples’ hands. We’ve got to go out there and take it.”
The Sixers will attempt to do just that in Game 3. The Sixers host the Knicks on Thursday, April 25, at 7:30 pm ET.
