The opening weeks of the regular season have not been kind to the Philadelphia 76ers. Between getting hit by health and safety protocols and the drama with Ben Simmons, Doc Rivers has had a depleted roster at his disposal.

Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the Sixers have still managed to start the season on a good note. They sit at 10-8 and are coming off a hard-fought win against the Sacramento Kings. Remaining competitive without multiple rotation players is a tough task, but they continue to find a way to hang around on a nightly basis.

Their success this year has come on the back of a team effort, but there has been one major standout. In just his second season, Tyrese Maxey has made a tremendous leap in his development.

Maxey was called on to replace Simmons in the starting lineup and has done much more than hold his own as a full-time point guard. The former first-round pick has only gotten better with each passing game. He might not completely fill the void left by Simmons, but he has softened the blow of being without the three-time All-Star.

Through 18 games, Maxey has emerged as an early favorite for Most Improved Player. He is currently posting averages of 18.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists. While those numbers are impressive, his recent stretch is even more astounding.

Scoring has had to come from somewhere with Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris out of the lineup. Maxey has taken it upon himself to not only be the maestro of the offense but to carry the scoring load as well. The 21-year-old has scored at least 22 points in six of the last seven games and committed just four turnovers. Not bad for someone who is still being groomed into a more traditional point guard.

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Players and coaches continue to rave about Maxey with each astounding performance. Following the Sixers' loss to the Trail Blazers on Saturday, Georges Niang said he feels Maxey has become a “killer” on the offensive end, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer:

“He definitely has turned into a killer. He just gets the ball and you turn, and you think you’re running somewhere, and next thing he’s taking off and doing that funky right-handed layup that seems to go in every time. He has a whole lot of [stuff] to his game.”

Most expected Maxey to do well in an increased role, but not to this degree. Not only has he found the balance between facilitator and scoring, but he's putting up All-Star-level numbers. Doc Rivers should be more than pleased with how Maxey has been able to elevate his game.

Maxey is the prime example of what happens when a player with limitless potential is also an extremely hard worker. Based on what he has shown so far, the Sixers might have a star in the making on their hands.