The Philadelphia 76ers are gearing up to face off against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, but they'll be heading into this matchup a little short-handed. While they were already prepared to be without their MVP big man Joel Embiid, they’ve now taken another major hit—star point guard Tyrese Maxey has officially been ruled out as well.
Maxey's Injury Setback
The team initially listed Maxey as questionable for the game due to a right knee contusion, but it didn’t take long before they downgraded him to out. It turns out that the concerns started surfacing right after Tuesday night’s loss to the Toronto Raptors. Head coach Nick Nurse had hinted at something possibly bothering Maxey physically, and now the picture is becoming clearer.
"I don't know much yet," Nurse explained when asked about Maxey’s status. "I mentioned it postgame last night, as you guys know, and I kinda heard pretty quickly that something was bothering him physically. That’s why I didn’t want to speculate too much on why he didn't really get going in the game."
How Did the Injury Happen?
As the Sixers arrived in New York to prepare for the showdown with the Nets, Maxey received treatment on his knee. However, the recovery didn’t progress fast enough for him to suit up. According to Nurse, the injury stemmed from a knee-on-knee collision that occurred during the Raptors game.
"Listen, they did know," Nurse continued. "He got treatment this morning, and they were able to pinpoint exactly where it happened in the game. It was a contact injury—knee-on-knee contact. The team initially had him listed as questionable, hoping it would improve. Unfortunately, it didn’t. He’s a little sore right now."
What's Next for Maxey and the Sixers?
At this point, the Sixers are still gathering more information about the injury, and Nurse admitted that they don't have a timeline for Maxey’s return just yet.
"I don’t have anything on where it's going from here yet," Nurse said. "More information will come in through MRIs and other evaluations. So, this is where we are right now."
A Tough Spot Before the Break
This is a tough blow for Philadelphia, especially since this game is their final matchup before heading into the All-Star break. They’ll have to find a way to compete without both Embiid and Maxey, which won’t be an easy task against a Brooklyn team looking to take advantage of their depleted roster.
Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. EST, and the Sixers will have to dig deep to overcome these setbacks. Can they rally together and pull off a win despite missing two of their biggest stars? It’s going to be a challenge, but stranger things have happened in the NBA!
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