Maxey Drops 28 as Philly's New-Look 76ers Win the Opener
Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 28 in the 76ers' season opener, while LeBron James and Jaylen Brown debuted in Philadelphia blue.
Still the centerpiece despite a cold five-game stretch into the opener.
- Maxey: game-high 28 in the season opener vs Knicks
- LeBron debut: 14 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast for Philadelphia
- Brown debut: 19 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast
- Maxey ranked #6 overall, #3 at guard in our model
- Maxey: 48.8 fantasy pts/game last season (2025-26)
Tyrese Maxey wasted no time reminding everyone whose team this is. He poured in a game-high 28 points as the 76ers' retooled roster opened the season with a win over the Knicks, and the new pieces around him looked comfortable right away.
The headliners made loud Philadelphia debuts. LeBron James finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Jaylen Brown chipped in 19 points, eight boards and six assists as the Sixers leaned on a strong second-half surge to close it out. That's a balanced, high-ceiling trio on paper — and the opener suggested the fit is real.
What It Means for the Pecking Order
Maxey enters the year as our #6 overall player and #3 at guard, backed by a monster 48.8 fantasy points per game last season (2025-26). The one caveat: he limped into the opener on a cold stretch, averaging 12 fewer fantasy points over his last five games than his season mark. The 28-point night is exactly the kind of bounce-back managers were hoping for.
Brown is our #10 overall player (#5 at his position) and put up 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game last season (2025-26), good for 45.2 fantasy points a night. His recent form had dipped slightly — 3.3 fantasy points below his season average over his last five — but a 19-8-6 debut with a new team is a clean, encouraging start.
LeBron is the interesting read here. He's ranked #23 overall (#9 at his position) and posted 41.4 fantasy points per game last season (2025-26) across 60 games. More importantly, he's trending up, averaging 7.9 fantasy points above his season mark over his last five. The 14-point, near triple-double line in Philadelphia whites fits that momentum, even if the raw scoring was modest.
The Fantasy Takeaway
If you drafted Maxey and panicked over his pre-opener slump, this is your buy-low window — the usage and scoring are still there, and 28 points through a crowded new rotation is a green flag. Brown and LeBron are both locked-in starts; the only thing to monitor is how the three of them share touches once the sample grows. For now, start all three and enjoy the fireworks.
