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Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey described the closing stretch of Game 7 against the Boston Celtics with direct intent, highlighting his late-game responsibility in the 109-100 road victory that sealed a 3-1 series comeback.
“It took a lot, man. It took a lot. It took all of us,” Maxey said, pointing to team-wide execution on both ends as the foundation of the win.
The 76ers guard emphasized structure and effort as the defining factors. “The entire team, playing the right way, defending, competing, and we did a good job with that,” he said.
Maxey’s decisive scoring run in the fourth quarter came at a critical moment in the game’s flow, when Philadelphia needed half-court execution against Boston’s defensive pressure.
“I just really wanted the ball. I just wanted the ball,” Maxey said when asked about his late-game aggression. “I knew I would need to step up and make plays down the stretch for us to win a game.”
Philadelphia leaned into Joel Embiid early in the fourth quarter, but Maxey explained the shift came naturally as possessions tightened.
“We went to Joel, and I just felt like it was time to make a play,” he said.
The 76ers guard also noted how in-game rhythm influenced his mindset. “I hadn’t really gotten to the fourth in the game really,” Maxey said, referencing his reduced early fourth-quarter involvement.
Philadelphia’s offense leaned on late-clock creation as Boston increased pressure, and Maxey accepted that role in key possessions.
“I just played through the flow in the first half,” he said. “Third quarter came out and the first thing he said to me was, ‘I need you to go.’”
The guard credited Embiid for facilitating trust in those moments. “That’s growth,” Maxey said. “He does a really good job of keeping me engaged and keeping me confident.”
Maxey also addressed the historical significance of the series win, including Philadelphia’s first comeback from a 3-1 deficit and its first series win over Boston since 1982.
“I know a little bit,” he said. “That’s pretty much all I know.”
Reflecting on Embiid’s impact, Maxey highlighted the center’s all-around influence across the series. “It was amazing, man,” he said. “He was determined and he got us going in multiple aspects of the game.”
Defensively, Maxey pointed to improvement across multiple areas of his game, especially on-ball coverage against top perimeter scorers.
“I think my playmaking and my defense,” he said. “I think I did a really good job guarding them.”
Philadelphia now shifts focus to the next round against the New York Knicks, with Maxey expecting another physical series.
“It’s going to be a dog fight,” he said. “I expect nothing less.”
The 76ers advance after leading for most of Game 7, with Maxey’s late-game scoring sealing a series defined by adjustments, endurance, and controlled half-court execution.
