If one is in the Sixers locker room at the same time as All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey and fifth-year forward KJ Martin, odds are the two players are chatting about something. Maxey and Martin have grown very close in the last year and change, which Martin has said was a valuable development for him as he grew accustomed to his third NBA organization.
"We always knew of each other, knew each other, but when I came to the team, it was easy to connect with somebody like that," Martin told PhillyVoice last month. "Same age, same high school class, someone you know. We could relate to each other. That's super dope, having somebody on the same path and journey."
Maxey and the man he often refers to as "Jack" have a strong relationship off the floor, and before the start of the season, Maxey expressed a desire to transfer their rapport to the hardwood.
"KJ is actually a good friend of mine," Maxey said before the start of the season. "So I talk to him a lot… I like KJ, man. I think he has the potential to be somebody special in this league. I was trying to tell him, James [Harden] and P.J. [Tucker] had a really special connection… I feel like we can have that same type of thing."
As Martin's role has once again grown in recent games, he and Maxey have been granted many opportunities to display the fruits of their labor in developing an on-court rapport. They have done just that, leveraging the enormous amount of attention Maxey draws from opposing defenses to create chances for Martin as a screener, roller, finisher and passer.
"Even though he's only 6-foot-4 or whatever he is, [Martin] is still a pretty good roller," Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. "He obviously can get up above the rim on some things. He's pretty good at getting in and out of screens pretty quickly, too… On the other end, he gives us a chance to really switch, because he can guard every position."
For this week's Friday film, here is a sample of the Maxey-Martin two-man game working its magic in a variety of fashions over the last few games:
Maxey draws two, Martin makes quick reads
One of the most important qualities in a roller playing alongside a star-caliber ball-handler is the ability to make decisions wisely and quickly. Martin, the son of a 15-year NBA veteran, has terrific instincts that make him a perfect fit in this sort of role. Maxey's impeccable reputation as a shot-maker — and opposing defenses' collective fear of his blow-by speed — make him likely to constantly see blitzes and traps when he is the Sixers' focal point offensively. (Sixers rookie guard Jared McCain is beginning to earn the same treatment.)
The instant Maxey sees an additional defender headed in his direction, he has no hesitation getting the ball to Martin and trusting Martin's processing speed in advantage situations:
KJ Martin just knows how to make reads and pass: pic.twitter.com/guYePPpz8L
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) November 25, 2024
Martin's passing chops on short rolls have stood out ever since his arrival in Philadelphia early last season, a unique tool for a player known for his endless athleticism.
Maxey draws two, Martin makes easy buckets
Sometimes, Martin does not even have to read a defense — he can just put his head down and go to the basket. It is an exceptional situation to be in when you can leap the way Martin can. Even during a down shooting season for Maxey, teams are so scared of his offensive prowess that Maxey can easily set up players like Martin for stress-free baskets like this one:
Tyrese Maxey and KJ Martin operate a simple pick-and-roll; Maxey draws the attention of both defenders and hits Martin with a crisp pocket pass for an easy slam: pic.twitter.com/JhQ9AvqqgR
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) December 6, 2024
Or this one:
Tyrese Maxey blows by a big on a switch and drops it off to KJ Martin under the basket. Martin is blocked on his first shot attempt, but gets his own rebound for an easy bucket: pic.twitter.com/eleRgw7bMl
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) December 6, 2024
Martin has the requisite athleticism to dominate in these specific situations, and has three perimeter-oriented teammates who can attract more than enough attention to create those opportunities for him when they are on the floor in Maxey, McCain and Paul George.
Perhaps the most impressive instance of this is a play that only ended up resulting in a pair of free throws for Martin rather than a made shot. The ease and seamlessness with which Maxey and Martin flow into this impromptu two-man action is a testament to the comfort they have built with one another:
Tyrese Maxey and KJ Martin seamlessly flow into a two-man action, netting Martin a chance to go up strong at the rim and draw a foul: pic.twitter.com/TKKxAqQ2sw
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) December 6, 2024
It is not at all easy to run a play like this so effectively on the spot, let alone doing so while making the entire operation look so smooth.
Maxey trusts Martin's aerial skills
Whether Martin is 6-foot-4 as Nurse said or 6-foot-6 as he is listed, he is one of the single best lob threats in the NBA for his size. Maxey, who rarely threw alley-oop passes early in his career, has learned to embrace the lobs, particularly when he has Martin headed to the rim.
"I always tell him, like, I'm running," Martin said during the preseason. "And he's looking for me… In transition, the defense is kind of getting back and backpedaling, just keep running."
On a veteran-laden team that often lacks impressive athleticism, Martin's ability to go up and get a ball like this is a breath of fresh air for these Sixers:
After a terrific save and setup from Guerschon Yabusele, Tyrese Maxey finds KJ Martin in transition for an alley-oop: pic.twitter.com/kf0L0Kg4oT
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) December 6, 2024
Maxey's trust in Martin is also what persuades him to throw the ball up with 0.4 seconds left on the shot clock and cross his fingers that his friend will make something happen:
With only 0.4 seconds remaining on the shot clock, Tyrese Maxey lobs an inbounds pass near the rim and KJ Martin gets it: pic.twitter.com/H4k1MW7EpP
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) December 6, 2024
For someone with such remarkable outlier athletic abilities, Martin rarely utilized those traits during games last season. In 2024-25, though, he has found many more avenues to show off that he is a 99th percentile sort of athlete.
Maxey and Martin make magic on the perimeter
This, in Maxey's estimation after Wednesday night's game, is the one area where his two-man game with Martin can become much better.
"I think the thing that we've got to get better at now is the 'get game,'" Maxey said. "Pitch it to him, he comes back, plays with me."
Martin is a smart two-way player, which is powerful when combined with his unique physical capabilities. He is also self-aware and understands that opposing defenses are often going to sag off him and cede open jumpers. As soon as Martin gets the ball at the top of the key on this possession, he sees Maxey near the baseline and big Guerschon Yabusele standing at the three-point line near the corner. He wisely directs Yabusele to screen for Maxey, who then dashes towards Martin for a short-range pass and ensuing screen. Maxey turns the corner and pulls up for an easy three:
KJ Martin's defenders often sag off him. Here, he takes advantage, directing Guerschon Yabusele to screen for Tyrese Maxey, then initiating a quick screen himself to free up Maxey for a wide open triple: pic.twitter.com/lXxByKOtqJ
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) December 6, 2024
A team with excellent advantage creators needs high-caliber advantage decision-makers and finishers. Martin is proving to be exactly that as he and Maxey look to build an on-court connection as strong as the personal bond they share.
MORE: Martin talks with PhillyVoice one-on-one
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