The Philadelphia 76ers are in a bitter fight for a top-six playoff spot this spring, but their hopes just got a tough blow with the latest news regarding Tyrese Maxey. After suffering a hand injury against the Hawks on Sunday, the All-Star guard will miss at least three weeks as he seeks treatment to be healthy for the final stretch of the season.
“Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey has been diagnosed with a tendon injury in his right pinkie finger and will be re-evaluated in three weeks,” reported Shams Charania on X. “Maxey received additional images and specialist reviews after injuring his right hand Saturday in Atlanta.”
The moment happened during an inbounds play toward the end of the fourth quarter of a 125-116 loss. As he was going for a steal, Maxey collided with Adem Bona and came up slowly before heading to the locker room. Despite the injury, he still finished the game with 31 points, two rebounds, five assists, and four steals on 12-22 shooting from the field.
Maxey missed the Sixers’ game against the Cavaliers yesterday, and he won’t be back until mid-March at the earliest. His injury, along with other key absences, leaves the 76ers extremely vulnerable in the backcourt. Until his return, they’ll have to rely on guys like Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Cameron Payne.
There’s also the star big man, Joel Embiid. He’s been out since February 26th with an oblique strain, but he’s set to return soon. With averages of 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game this season, he was playing some of his best basketball of the season before going down. If he can replicate that performance for the next few weeks after his comeback, it could be enough to keep the 76ers afloat until Maxey’s return.
Regardless, at eighth in the East (34-30), the 76ers are toeing the line on possible playoff paths this season. Enough wins could guarantee their place in the first round, while an extended losing streak could relegate them to the play-in tournament. Either way, being just 1.5 games back from the sixth spot, this team still has a lot to play for, and the margin for error couldn’t be slimmer.
Of course, as much as he wants to return, Maxey has more to think about than just this season. At 25 years old, with his own ambitions of stardom, he won’t risk his long-term health for immediate availability. That means he’s not going to skip any steps on this process, no matter how desperate his team may be to get him back.
