In the absence of Joel Embiid and Paul George, the Philadelphia 76ers are relying heavily on their once-All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey.

Prior to Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers, Maxey was the Sixers’ leading scorer through two games but lacked efficiency.

In games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors, Maxey averaged just 30 percent from the field. Maxey, who made almost 11 three-pointers per game, succeeded in only 19 percent of these shots. As a player who has shot 39 percent from three throughout his career, the two-game series was clearly out of character.

On Sunday against the Pacers, Maxey put on an “I’m back” kind of show.

In the nearly 50-minute game, Maxey once again led the Sixers by making 32 shots. The young guard managed to make 14 shots, including 12 out of 15 free throws, including 5 from deep.

Maxey finished the overtime thriller in Indiana with 45 points. This was the sixth time Maxey scored 40 points in a game. This was also the first 30-point showing of the year.

After serving as the Sixers’ point guard in the absence of ten-time All-Star James Harden, Maxey put together a career year in the scoring department.

The young guard averaged 26 points on 45 percent shooting in 70 games. In the playoffs, Maxey had a rough six-game stretch as he put up 30 points per game on nearly 50 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from three.

At the end of the 2024-2025 season, Maxey was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player. With that title along with an All-Star nod and a max contract, Maxey is under pressure to be a star with or without his All-Star teammates on the court.

He took the pressure and ran with it on Sunday. The Sixers defeated the Pacers in overtime, 118-114. The Sixers picked up their first win of the year before returning home.