Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey has used social media to refute a claim from ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. The pundit suggested Maxey visited Doc Rivers in tears regarding James Harden's playoff effort, a story Maxey denied on X.
The alleged tearful visit to Doc Rivers' home
The dispute centers on a specific anecdote shared by Stephen A .. Smith during an episode of First Take. According to the report, Smith claimed that during the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals, Maxey visited the residence of former coach Doc Rivers while "damn near crying" due to frustration with James Harden. Smith suggested that the lack of effort from Harden during that series left a lasting residue on the team.
The 2023 postseason was a period of significant struggle for the Sixers, particularly during their seven-game series against the Boston Celtics. As the source notes, Harden's performance in that series was inconsistent; while he had two 40-point games, he averaged just 13.4 points per game across the other five contests. This statistical dip preceded Harden's eventual trade to the Clippers following a difficult exit from Philadelphia.
A 32-point performance amidst a Harden-Maxey shove
Recent on-court tension between the Sixers' stars has brought renewed attention to the relationship between Maxey and Harden. During a 114-106 comeback victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, the two former teammates engaged in a heated argument that included exchanging shoves.. The physical confrontation occurred despite Maxey delivering a dominant performance, where he tied for the game-high with 32 points on 12-of-23 shooting.
While Maxey's scoring helped secure the win,the visual of the two players going face-to-face has fueled media speculation about the internal chemistry of the roster. the incident serves as a flashpoint for a team attempting to balance high-level individual talent with cohesive team play.
LeBron James and the helicopter-driven media 'noise'
The friction between Maxey and Smith is part of a much larger atmosphere of scrutiny surrounding the current Sixers roster. Head coach Nick Nurse has frequently spoken about the "noise" that accompanies a team featuring high-profile stars like LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. The arrival of these players has significantly increased the national media spotlight on the Philadelphia organization.
This media attention has manifested in various ways, from LeBron James' high-profile helicopter commutes between New York and the team's practice facility to public disputes regarding team discipline.. Nurse has expressed a desire to keep the players focused on the film room and the practice floor rather than the constant chatter generated by national broadcasts and social media scrutiny.
Did Maxey actually feel the frustration Smith described?
While Maxey's direct denial on X successfully challenged the factual accuracy of the house visit, several questions remain unanswered. Maxey explicitly stated, "I've never even been to DOC house," but he did not address the underlying sentiment Smith attributed to him. It remains unclear if Maxey shared the same frustrations regarding Harden's 2023 playoff performance that Smith described, or if the emotional connection beween the players is as strained as pundits suggest.
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