It was announced today that Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey was the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for December 29 through January 4, joining Deni Avdija in the West. Teammate Joel Embiid was also
a nominee for the title.
The Sixers went 3-0 over the course of the week, defeating Memphis, Dallas, and New York, all on the road. Maxey recorded at least 34 points in each of the games, highlighted by his 36 points in the Garden to outduel Jalen Brunson. He shot at least 58.3 percent from the field and sank no fewer than four threes in each of the contests. His 12 assists against the Grizzlies were his second-highest mark on the season.
On the season, Maxey is currently third in the league in points per game; his 31.1 ppg average only trails Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. No one in the NBA shoots a higher volume of three-pointers (9.3 attempts per game) at a better percentage (40.4 percent). Additionally, his 7.1 assists per game are 12th in the league. Tyrese’s defense has also improved significantly, which drew a stark contrast to the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, who the Sixers hunted mercilessly in their win over the weekend.
Something tells me this won’t be the biggest accolade Maxey receives this season.
Here’s the release from Sixers Public Relations:
“The NBA announced today that Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played between Dec. 29 and Jan. 4.
In three games played – all Philadelphia wins – against Memphis, Dallas, and New York, Maxey produced an NBA best 34.7 points on 61.2-percent shooting (53.8 3FG%), 8.7 assists, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocked shots.
The sixth-year pro started the week off strong against Memphis on Dec. 30, producing a season-high 24 points in the first half en route to finishing with a game-high 34 points on 61.9-percent shooting (4-7 3FG) and 12 assists. The Texas native followed that performance with game highs in points (34) and assists (10) at Dallas on Jan. 1, marking the first time in his NBA career that he’s recorded at least 30 points and 10 assists in consecutive games.
Maxey capped off Philadelphia’s undefeated week with a game-high 36 points in New York against the Knicks, shooting 63.6-percent from the field (14-22 FG) and 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Maxey shot 14-of-26 (53.8%) from the three-point range throughout the week, connecting on at least four triples in each contest. His 91 career games with four-plus three-pointers made are the most in franchise history.
This is the second Player of the Week honor for Maxey in 2025-26 and the fourth such award of his NBA career.“
