Following the dramatic showdown at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Philadelphia 76ers guard, Tyrese Maxey, can subtly hold his recent achievement over the New York Knicks. Maxey received the coveted acknowledgment of being named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the season 2023-24.
In terms of individual performance, this season was indicative of substantial growth for the talented player, who made his mark in the league by averaging an impressive 15.5 points for the season. Yet it’s not just the volume of his points that was remarkable but the manner in which he made them – his incredible ability to create from beyond the arc saw him hit a personal record of 212 3-pointers, a marked improvement on the 160 he fired home the previous season.
However, a spotlight cannot be shone on Maxey without reference to another notable player, DiVincenzo, who crafted his own narrative by ironically breaking a Knicks record. He registered an astonishing 283 3-pointers this season, an achievement that, while commendable in itself, did not meet the criteria for the Most Improved Player award due to institutional regulations.
According to league rules, to qualify for such an accolade a player must have participated in a minimum of 65 games in a season, with each game demanding at least 20 minutes of court time for it to be counted. Unfortunately for DiVincenzo, he did not meet these specific requirements, falling short on games where he logged at least 20 minutes play time.
Contrasting this, the young 76ers guard did not just meet the eligibility requirements, but his performances gained league-wide attention. Besides the surge in his scoring averages, he landed 11th in the NBA in points per game ratings and held the 20th position for assists per game. Reflecting his consistent scoring prowess were three different games where he maintained an astounding metric of scoring at least 50 points.
These triple-digit encounters not only elevated Maxey’s profile, but they also tied him for most in the NBA. Despite his personal elevation, however, the Most Improved Player award may serve as a bittersweet acknowledgment to Maxey in light of recent gameplay.
During the Monday Game 2 of the first round playoff series, the 76ers took a hard loss against the Knicks, finishing the game with a close score of 101-104. The competitive nature of the game and the narrow loss left the 76ers feeling perceivably disgruntled with the run of play, and unfortunately, this was further exacerbated by what appeared to be multiple missed calls by the referees.
As is often the case in high-stakes matchups, a shroud of controversy emerged. Many fans and sports enthusiasts alike noticed a sequence of apparent fouls and a seemingly ignored 76ers timeout call that, if acknowledged, could potentially have altered the course of the game. Speculation and debate ensued, putting the judgment of the referees under close scrutiny.
In what is seldom a comforting move, the NBA released their Last Two Minute (L2M) report the following Tuesday, which served to confirm the suspicions of many — most specifically, the 76ers’ grumbles. The report concluded that indeed, players Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson of the Knicks should have been penalized with a foul when engaging with Maxey during those game-defining moments.
In these crucial moments, the go-ahead bucket crafted by DiVincenzo was marred with an uncomfortable layer of unanswered complaints and confirmed oversights. This atmosphere, while intense and frustrating, is unfortunately part and parcel of the competitive nature of playoff basketball and awards alike.
Undoubtedly, these findings, while vindicating, might not serve the 76ers much comfort. The truth of the L2M report doesn’t rewrite history or the loss that was felt, but it does put emphasis on the level of scrutiny that these games are under, and illuminates the role that each player’s actions play in the broader narrative of a game, a season, and their personal careers.
Reflecting on both Maxey’s achievement and the events of this dramatic game, it is clear that talent and success comes in many forms — not just through victories won, but also in personal triumphs achieved, improvement shown, and records broken. The journey to NBA recognition is a tough road, filled with both acknowledged and unacknowledged victories.
In the wake of this drama and in the heart of the NBA season, the Philadelphia 76ers, and specifically Tyrese Maxey, are worth keeping an eye on, not just for the replay of these tumultuous playoffs but for the continual development of individual players.
Despite the hardship of the loss and the controversy surrounding it, Maxey now carries with him not just the title of the NBA’s Most Improved Player, but also the experience of high-stakes games. Both will serve him and his team, as they navigate this playoff season and for many others to come.
