James Harden came out on fire in his Sixers debut on Friday night as he helped his team destroy the Minnesota Timberwolves, 133-102. The former league MVP lived up to the lofty expectations Philly fans had on him with a truly memorable 27-point, eight-rebound, and 12-assist opening performance.

For Sixers young guard Tyrese Maxey, however, it wasn't all about Harden's offensive explosion. According to the second-year stud, what surprised him the most about his new teammate's debut performance was his tenacity on the defensive end:

“I think today, just his defensive communication,” Maxey said, via Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “From shootaround today, he was extremely adamant about defending and that’s how we’re gonna win. The offense will take care of itself.”

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James Harden is one of the most gifted offensive players we've ever seen. There's just no denying that. However, his defense isn't exactly something to write home about. Perhaps he's now taking the necessary steps to work on this facet of his game now that he's been granted a fresh start with the Sixers.

For his part, it is also worth noting that Maxey had himself quite an evening as well. The 21-year-old dropped 28 points on 12-of-16 shooting as he looks to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Harden's arrival in Philly.