Sixers Bell Ringer Season Rankings:
Jared McCain – 8
Tyrese Maxey – 5.5
Paul George – 3.5
Joel Embiid – 3
KJ Martin – 2
Guerschon Yabusele – 2
Ricky Council IV – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
(No poll was released after the 12/16 win over Charlotte, so Paul George and Tyrese Maxey each received half a Bell Ringer in a Liberty Ballers first game.)

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To quote a former Eagles backup quarterback: Merry Christmas, Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey starred and the Sixers picked up their best win of the season in a 118-114 upset over the defending champion Celtics on Christmas Day in Boston.

It’s December 25th and the Sixers are allowed to use their projected starting lineup for the first time. This group got off to a strong start with Maxey carrying the offensive load. After scoring just 12 points in his first game on Christmas Day last season, the electric guard tied the score in the first quarter.

Maxey continued in the second quarter and got some help from Joel Embiid, who dropped 10 points in the frame – including a three-pointer in the final seconds of the first half to give the Sixers a 66-58 lead.

The Celtics weren’t going down without a fight. Jaylen Brown got going after a slow first half and the Sixers offense stagnated for much of the quarter, scoring just 16 points. Boston managed to get everything sorted by the fourth period.

But Maxey was up to the challenge, carrying a bench-heavy unit and extending the Sixers’ lead back to double digits. Things got a little dicey when the starters returned, but a timely layup from Maxey and free throw shooting – that’s not a given for this team this season! – The Sixers put the game away.

Philly is slowly but surely getting out of its early season hole and improving to 11-17. The Sixers are 8-3 in their last 11 games. Just as importantly, they get healthier (somehow) and figure out how to play with each other. They have a few days off before heading out west for a four-game trip, starting Saturday night in Utah against the Jazz.

First let’s talk about a funny bell ringer.

Tyrese Maxey: 33 points, 12 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block

From the start of the game, it was clear that Maxey wanted to ensure that Last Christmas was an aberration. He scored twelve points and provided four assists in the first frame. Another impressive part of Maxey’s game was the way he didn’t back down defensively. Both Brown and Jayson Tatum tried to target him, and he fought like hell, even forcing a few turnovers.

Speaking of turnovers, a big part of the Sixers’ success in the first half was that they only turned the ball over once. As we’ve seen over the years, Maxey will take care of the basketball regardless of his commitment. Maxey and Embiid led the field with 18 points each at halftime. Maxey also had eight assists with zero turnovers.

The offense really stalled in the third period, with Maxey only attempting two shots. Paul George’s struggles really hurt the Sixers during a time when they were outscored by 24-16.

At the start of the fourth period, Maxey completely revved up Boston’s defense while playing with a bench-heavy unit. He looked for discrepancies and exploited them. Aside from a few uncharacteristic late turnovers, Maxey was brilliant in a final frame with 13 points and three assists.

He also kept his composure in a game that could have been disastrous, giving the Sixers a huge goal late on.

You can’t call it a coming out party for a player as established as Maxey, but man, that’s one heck of a performance against a great team on a huge NBA stage. Maxey finished the game with 33 points (12 of 23, 3 of 9 from three), becoming the first Sixer to post a 30-point, 10-assist game on Christmas Day. He could ensure the Sixers have another All-Star this season (good timing in that regard).

Caleb Martin: 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images

What the hell has gotten into Caleb Martin?

Well, it seems like finally being healthy has been a big help. The Sixers wisely sidelined Martin to address a right shoulder issue that he has seemingly struggled with all season. Luckily, he only missed three games in two weeks because of the NBA Cup.

Martin followed a strong performance in the Sixers’ win over the Spurs on Monday, where he shot 3 of 5 from distance, with a nuclear performance on Christmas Day. With George unable to find his shot, they needed someone to step in – and boy, did Martin deliver.

The versatile winger, who throughout his career had a penchant for making life difficult for the Celtics, couldn’t miss. He went 7-for-9 from deep on the night and 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in the fourth period. The seven triples are a career high and the 23 points were his most as a Sixer.

Beyond the threes, Martin is increasingly resembling the player many consider to be a steal in free agency.

He always seemed to play better when the lights were brightest. This was his first time doing so in a Sixers jersey.

Joel Embiid: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists

One game after being shut out, Embiid looked perky early in this game.

Boston is a notoriously difficult game for him due to the presence of Al Horford and the Celtics playing with a general cohesiveness on defense. Embiid is also adjusting to life with a mask (again) and hasn’t played much high-level basketball this season.

Give him credit – he was influential without forcing things. Embiid said on media day that his primary goal was to make everything easier for everyone else. He played like that at Christmas. The way he ran down the field here and got through traffic, easily supporting Maxey, is a fantastic sign.

His three-point shot was a huge boost. He was 4 of 5 on the day and scored that big goal to end the first half. He was very emphatic after the make.

It was far from a perfect finish, but Embiid made several game-winning plays down the stretch. He found Martin on a three-pointer as the defense moved in his direction. With the Sixers on their heels, he ran a pick-and-roll with Maxey out of a timeout and uncharacteristically rolled to the basket. He was able to draw a foul on Horford and make two free throws. He shattered the offensive glass and forced Brown to foul. The ensuing possession led to this big layup from Maxey.

And holy crap, he sank a few free throws Finally Put the game away.

There hasn’t been much to be happy about for anyone on the Sixers this season, especially Embiid. It was nice to see the big guy enjoying this one follow-up game.