Sixers Bell Ringer: Tyrese Maxey continues strong preseason in won over the Cavaliers

Sixers preseason Bell Ringer standings

Tyrese Maxey - 2

For the second time in six days, the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers clashed, this time inside Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Sixers scored 113 points for the second consecutive outing and won, 113-97, to stay unbeaten at 3-0 this preseason. Joel Embiid and Montrezl Harrell both sat out, so P.J. Tucker shifted to small-ball center and De’Anthony Melton replaced Embiid in the starting unit.

Once again, Tyrese Maxey raced out to a prolific start, scoring nine points before the nine-minute mark of the first quarter and scoring 15 points in the opening frame, including a trio of triples. He slowed afterward, but still ended with 19 points (6-of-14 shooting) in 25 minutes. Melton struggled to score, yet left his mark in an array of other outlets. Danuel House and Paul Reed shined off the bench. It’s time to talk Bell Ringer. Let’s get to it.

Tyrese Maxey: 19 points, one assist, one steal

The first quarters this preseason have been incredibly kind to the University of Kentucky product. He notched nine points in the initial three minutes and continually found himself open beyond the arc, featuring a nifty movement long ball from well beyond the arc. He didn’t replicate that magic following the first period, but still delighted with some finishing craft and drew a couple of fouls, the latter of which is seemingly an area of emphasis for him offensively. The Sixers also granted him some on-ball usage during his minutes alongside James Harden, which was an interesting wrinkle to monitor moving forward, both in terms of how he fares and what Harden looks like away from the action.

De’Anthony Melton: Seven points, six rebounds, five assists

The fifth-year guard hasn’t discovered his shooting groove this preseason, though cast an impact across various other forms Monday. He delivered a number of heady connective passes, wiggled effectively around screens and scooped up six boards, one of which resulted in a putback bucket. His aggressive transition play has produced some overly audacious shots and that remained the case in this one. But his defensive instincts, rebounding and passing all popped against the Cavs. Now, he just needs the jumper to resurface.

Danuel House: 10 points, two rebounds, two steals

Making his second appearance of the preseason, the veteran wing delivered. He preserved his perfect shooting line with a 4-of-4 night, headlined by a pair of long balls. Defensively, he showcased his range, liveliness and length, stymying some on-ball creation attempts, providing timely help and slithering around screens. His outside shot has ebbed and flowed in recent years, but it’s quite easy to see how he contributes as a high-level rotation player and that was evident Monday.

Paul Reed: Four points, three rebounds, three steals, three blocks, two assists

With both Embiid and Harrell out of the lineup, Reed backed up Tucker at center. Whether it was switching, hedging or playing at the level of the pick, his aggressive ball-screen coverage regularly caused problems for Cavalier ball-handlers. Occasionally, it left him susceptible to fouls or invited preferable driving angles, but those were overshadowed by his takeaways and mobility. He deflected a ton of balls and constantly rotated well inside to wreak havoc. Four fouls in 18 minutes is suboptimal, though largely a non-issue as a reserve player. He needs to refine his pacing and patience on dives to the rim (2-of-5 shooting), but he stood out Monday and was a big-time defensive playmaker.