Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey gets ruled out for the final three games of the Sixers’ season. Maxey is dealing with a sprained right finger.
The impressive young guard has missed 19 games since March 4. That total is set to rise to 22. Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer broke the news of Maxey’s injury status for the rest of the season via his account on X.
“The Sixers made official today what we’ve already known,” Pompey reported. “Tyrese Maxey is done for the remainder of the season. Maxey has not played since March 3.”
Pompey then followed up with:
“A recent MRI confirmed Maxey’s sprained right finger. The team said because of the re-injury and related pain and swelling the point guard will be unable to play in the final three games.”
Maxey’s absence isn’t a major shock for Sixers fans. At this late point in the season, it didn’t make sense for him to return to the rotation. The Sixers have nothing left to play for.
Maxey’s confirmed absence means that Philadelphia has been without its top three stars for the final months of the season. Considering the high hopes everyone had coming into the 2024-25 campaign, those absences are a bitter blow.
Maxey was Expected to be Ruled Out
On April 3, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Maxey was expected to miss the remainder of the season.
“Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the season with a finger tendon injury, sources tell ESPN,” Charania reported on X. “Maxey has been sidelined since March 3 and has attempted to rehab the finger, but still is dealing with discomfort and needs treatment.”
Pompey’s latest update confirms Charania’s report and puts a bow on a forgetful season for the Sixers. Daryl Morey must now turn his attention toward the summer. Therefore, he must start with the upcoming NBA draft. Morey has a lot of work ahead if the Sixers are going to bounce back strong next season.
Sixers and Embiid Reportedly Had Tension
Maxey’s absence is understandable given the Sixers’ current situation. However, Joel Embiid‘s absence has been far more debilitating for the Sixers. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Embiid and the Sixers struggled to agree on the best approach to his recovery this season. As such, there were reportedly some tensions between the two parties.
“There was some tension there between Joel Embiid and that front office, from my understanding,” Charania said on an April 3 episode of NBA Today. “The team believed he needed to play at some points of the season, that he needed to get his conditioning right through playing and getting better that way. He felt like he needed surgery. He ends up getting the surgery.”
Embiid hasn’t played for the Sixers since February 24. He has only managed to play in 19 games all season. Without Embiid in the rotation, the Sixers’ chances of contending for a championship took a significant blow, which likely set the tone for their disastrous season.
Sixers Get More Bad News to Cap a Disastrous Season