Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey did not back down against Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden on Thursday.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) drives against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers faced off at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday, in what could be an early preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The 76ers sought their second win, while the Cavaliers opened their season. As expected, the game was intense, with neither team willing to give an inch.
The tension boiled over in the fourth quarter. Tyrese Maxey and James Harden got into a shoving match after jostling for position.
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Maxey and Harden were separated before it escalated into a full-blown fight.
It did not matter that they were former teammates. The gloves were off since they were competing on the floor.
The 25-year-old Maxey has frequently credited the 37-year-old Harden for helping build his confidence and elevate his game when they played together in Philadelphia. Harden, a former MVP, willingly took a back seat to the fast-rising guard.
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“From day one, when he came in, the first thing he said to me was, ‘Listen, don't think you're not going to get the ball. Don't think you're not about to still be aggressive and keep building your game.' His first instinct was always, whether we scored or didn't, he was going to pitch it ahead to me—let me score in transition, play that one-on-one game, shoot,” said Maxey in a report from Bleacher Report's Zach Bachar.
The 76ers beat the Cavaliers, 114-106. Maxey had a game-high 32 points on 12-of-23 shooting, three rebounds, six assists, and two steals.
Harden, meanwhile, had 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting, three rebounds, five assists, and six turnovers.
Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas.