MILWAUKEE (AP) \u2014 Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey arguably is the NBA\u2019s hardest-working player this season.<\/p>\n
His heavy workload sure isn\u2019t hindering his production so far.<\/p>\n
Maxey already was averaging an NBA-leading 40.3 minutes per game this season before he had a career-high 54 points and nine assists over 46 \u00bd minutes in a 1 23-114 overtime victory<\/a> over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.<\/p>\n According to Elias Sports Bureau, Maxey and Wilt Chamberlain are the only 76ers to have at least 50 points and nine assists in a game.<\/p>\n \u201cBlessed,\u201d Maxey said. \u201cI thank God for it. Any time you\u2019re in a conversation with Wilt, who scored 100 points, you can\u2019t complain.\u201d<\/p>\n Maxey\u2019s remarkable performance came one night after he played 39 minutes in a 121-112 loss<\/a> to the Toronto Raptors. The 76ers have leaned on Maxey even more heavily because injuries have limited the availability of 2023 MVP<\/a> Joel Embiid and six-time All-NBA wing Paul George.<\/p>\n Embiid missed a sixth straight game Thursday due to a knee issue. George made his season debut<\/a> Monday after missing Philadelphia\u2019s first 12 games while recovering from offseason surgery on his left knee.<\/p>\n Philadelphia (9-6) is above .500 thanks largely to Maxey, who is averaging 33.4 points to rank second in the league, behind only the Los Angeles Lakers\u2019 Luka Doncic (34.6).<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s special,\u201d George said. \u201cHe\u2019s gifted. I think what you guys don\u2019t see and what stands out is after the game, on a back-to-back, 50, 45-plus minutes, he goes and lifts. That just speaks volumes to who he is, why he\u2019s where he\u2019s at. I\u2019ve been around a lot of great guys in this league. That\u2019s what they do. They do the stuff like that keeps them going, keeps them strong, always working on themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n