The Philadelphia 76ers season has been about as disastrous as possible, with Joel Embiid being shut down for the season seeming to put the final nail in the coffin. Despite this, 24 games are remaining for Tyrese Maxey and the rest of the remaining players who will turn their attention to the Golden State Warriors tonight.
Unlike the Sixers, the Warriors are riding high and are finding their stride in the home stretch of the season. Jimmy Butler’s impact has been immediate with the Warriors going 7-1 in his first eight games with the team. Butler has averaged 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists across this stretch. Even more notably, he has further unlocked Steph Curry with his ability as an on-ball creator and allowed the two-time scoring champion to play some of his best basketball of the season. It should be noted that Butler is listed as questionable for tonight’s matchup with back spasms.
Despite the promise of the All-Star trio that Daryl Morey assembled, Maxey has been left to fend for himself far too often this season. The 24-year-old is averaging 27.2 points, 6.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds while leading the NBA with 37.9 minutes player per game.
The Warriors enter this matchup as 8.5-point favorites and -340 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Sixers hold +270 odds on the moneyline with the game total set at 228.
With the stage set, here are my favorite Maxey prop bets ahead of the Saturday matchup.
Best Tyrese Maxey Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Maxey’s props are listed at over/under 28.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3.5 made three-pointers and 37.5 combined points, rebounds and assists.
Tyrese Maxey Under 28.5 Points (-125)
Largely due to the amount of volume on his plate, Maxey is averaging a career-high 27.2 points per game this season. He is attempting 21.3 field goal attempts per game which is tied with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and trails only LaMelo Ball for the most shots per game in the entire NBA. He has recorded over 28.5 points in 25 of the 50 games he has played.
The Warriors rank eighth in opponents’ points per game, 11th in opponents’ field goal percentage and 14th in opponents’ three-point percentage. However, since they added Butler, they rank fourth in defensive efficiency and third in opponents points allowed.
This season has taken a toll on Maxey with him most recently playing through a hand issue. The Kentucky product has had his shooting hand taped up in recent games and has not played in attack mode as often since this issue popped up. He shot an uninspiring 0-for-10 from beyond the three-point arc on Tuesday against the Knicks which marks the most perimeter attempts in a game without a make. Maxey also was limited to just five points against the Brooklyn Nets in the last game before the All-Star break despite logging 34:04 of game time.
Between the Warriors’ improved defense and recent struggles from Maxey, expect a mild scoring output tonight. Look for him to be held under 28.5 points for the 26th time this season and the fifth time in his past eight games.
Tyrese Maxey Over 5.5 Assists (-135)
There are still some conversations to be had about whether Maxey can fit the description of a true point guard in the long haul, but he has shown some encouraging flashes as a playmaker this year. Maxey is averaging 6.0 assists on the season and has recorded over 5.5 assists in 28 of 50 games.
Paul George exploded for 25 points in the most recent Sixers game. This marked his first time scoring over 20 points in over a month and provided some welcomed offensive support for Maxey. George has also battled injuries all season, but he looks healthy now. Look for this effort to continue and for Maxey to be more than comfortable deferring with his injury status in mind.
Philadelphia is still limited in its number of adequate ball handlers and Maxey will be asked to create the bulk of the offense. Count on him to have some success attacking the paint and create for others with there being no true answer for his top-end speed. Expect him to record over 5.5 assists for the 29th time this season.
