Tyrese Maxey has disappeared vs. the Knicks, thanks to Villanova’s Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson
Bridges is locking him down. Brunson is lighting them up. The Knicks lead the second-round series, 3-0, and can sweep the Sixers on Sunday.
Tyrese Maxey was a legitimate MVP candidate this season. In the frequent absences of Joel Embiid, Maxey kept the Sixers in the playoff hunt with endless effort, evolved offense, floor generalship, and, more than anything, scoring.
He averaged 28.3 points, which ranked fifth in the NBA. He averaged 21.4 shots, which was third.
In three games against the Knicks, he’s averaging 18.7 points and 14.7 shots. The Sixers have lost the first three games of this second-round series, the latest a 108-94 defeat on Friday night. The Knicks can sweep Sunday afternoon.
» READ MORE: Sixers gave a pro-Knicks crowd plenty to cheer for in a 108-94 Game 3 loss
The main reasons: Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson.
Maybe Bridges even more than Brunson.
At 6-foot-6, Bridges has a four-inch height advantage, and with a 7-1 wingspan, well, let’s just say it’s like Maxey is trying to shoot over the Empire State Building.
This was to be expected.
Bridges was a first-team All-Defensive player in 2021-22. His nickname is “The Warden” because he locks people up. His coach at Villanova, Jay Wright, lauded Bridges’ development as a defender as Bridges won him two national championships.
“It’s who he is,” said ‘Nova and Knicks teammate Brunson. “That’s a tough task, that’s a tall order, the way he’s able to maneuver, navigate screens, do all those kind of things.”
Unprovoked, the first words out of Knicks coach Mike Brown’s mouth Friday regarding the game were:
“I would be not doing my job if I didn’t point out the continued work that Mikal is doing at the point of attack when it comes to Maxey. Maxey is a great player. You’re not going to stop him. Hope he misses a few shots.”
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Maxey didn’t, really. He was 8-for-12, but scored just 17 points. He was efficient, but not magnificent. Between Bridges’ pressure and the Knicks’ frequent double-teams, Maxey’s game largely was defanged. Again.
He hit 41.8% of his three-pointers in the first round against the Celtics, but he has missed 10 of his 12 three-point attempts against the Knicks. He was 3-for-9 overall from the field in Game 1, and had four turnovers. He went 9-for-23 in Game 2, with six turnovers. He gave it away just twice Friday, but already has 12 turnovers in three games after amassing just nine in the seven games against the Celtics in the first round.
His dashes to the hoop were less frequent and less fruitful, too. Friday was just the third time in 80 games this season Maxey didn’t attempt a free throw.
» READ MORE: The Sixers go cold, Landry Shamet heats up and the Knicks win 108-94 to take a 3-0 series lead
It wasn’t only Bridges’ efforts, of course. The Knicks’ strategy of double-teaming Maxey on most ball screens has led him to pass to beat that pressure. His teammates are not converting.
“I think Mikal is a great defender,” Maxey said. “I also think when you ‘up’ every screen and you put two on the ball every single time, my job is to get rid of it.”
Maxey dealt seven assists Friday, but the Sixers shot just 42.2% from the field.
“We got to make some of these shots,” Maxey said.
Bridges agreed with Maxey that he hasn’t smothered Maxey like, say, Gary Payton smothered Michael Jordan for part of the 1996 NBA Finals.
“I mean, it’s a team effort,” Bridges said. “I got four other guys helping.”
Perhaps.
But it all starts with Bridges.
“It’s pretty much just playing hard, following the scout,” Bridges said. “You know how much Tyrese means to the team, how important he is, and how good he is, so I’m just trying to make it difficult for him.”
Mission accomplished.
» READ MORE: Knicks fans had ‘boots on the ground’ at ‘MSG South’ for a Game 3 takeover in South Philly
Maxey’s diminishment is all the more glaring when compared with Brunson’s production.
After dropping 33 on Friday, Brunson is averaging 31.3 points in the series, five more than his regular-season average.
But then, he’s not playing defense on Maxey. He appreciates the man who is, and understands why, from Villanova to New York, The Warden is still handcuffing opponents.
“Having next play mentality, having a short term memory — just focus on the next play,” Brunson said. “Regardless what happens, positive or negative, you know, he’s locked in for the next one. It’s an instinct that you can’t really teach.
“It’s who he is.”
