Changing of the guard: 76ers running through Tyrese Maxey, not Joel Embiid

Coming off their fourth straight victory, the 4-0 Philadelphia 76ers reached a win total it took 18 games to achieve last season. The Sixers have been great, and that's without Joel Embiid being his usual dominant self. 

As the Sixers came across their first instance of games on back-to-back nights, Embiid was only active for the second game. In his three games played, the former MVP has been limited to an average of 20 minutes of action. 

In the season opener against the Boston Celtics, Embiid started at center, playing only 20 minutes and scoring just four points on 1-of-9 shooting. In his other outings, Embiid maintained the 20 minutes of playing time, but was able to score 20 and 25 points on a combined 16-of-28 shooting. 

This isn't his usual 30-plus points per night, but those outings are more similar to his production during his first few years of playing when he was on a minutes restriction. 

Embiid playing fewer minutes and in fewer games has led to other players picking up the workload. The No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, VJ Edgecombe, has shot out of the gate, averaging 22.3 points, including 34 in his NBA debut. 

Along with Edgecombe, Adem Bona has stepped up when Embiid hasn't played, especially on defense. The second-year center has nine blocks on the season, eight of which came in the last two games. 

The early-season MVP

No 76ers player has been more important this season than Tyrese Maxey. Entering his sixth year, Maxey has increased his per-game scoring each season. So far this year, that trend has continued as Maxey leads the league in scoring with 37.5 points per game. 

Not only has the Kentucky alum been deadly from three, shooting 47.4% on 9.5 attempts a game, but his work at the rim is even more impressive. On 19 attempts at the rim, Maxey has made 12 of them, 63.2% of his attempts. 

With Embiid's minutes restriction, the 76ers have found themselves without their big man toward the end of the game. That has allowed Maxey to step up and be one of the best fourth-quarter players in the league. 

In each of their four games, Maxey has poured in double-digit points in the fourth quarter, averaging 13.3 points. This late takeover has been especially apparent with the Sixers down in games. 

In three of their four games, the Sixers have trailed by at least 10 points in the fourth quarter. Each game, the Sixers were able to climb back and take the game, thanks to the play of Maxey. 

In their most recent win against the Washington Wizards, Maxey scored 14 of the team's 23 fourth-quarter points. In overtime, he continued, scoring nine of the team's 13 points. 

With less Embiid, Maxey has taken the reins of this offense. At the moment, he's playing like an MVP, but it's hard to maintain 37.5 points per game.

If Maxey can maintain production anywhere near this level throughout the season, then he will have made the jump from fringe All-Star player to an All-NBA-caliber player.