The Philadelphia 76ers are in a tough spot once again. Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers dropped Game 2 against the New York Knicks in the second round.
Amid the tight loss, which ended with a score of 108-102, Maxey’s often-forgotten setback affected his play.
Following the game, the star guard revealed that he jammed the same finger that he had injured earlier in the year.
Tyrese Maxey Reveals The Latest Setback
“I kind of jammed my finger in the second quarter, so I didn’t feel confident dribbling around the traps like I normally do, or splitting them. I was trying to get off the ball and trying to create actions,” Maxey told reporters.
Without a major presence like Joel Embiid on the court on Wednesday night, the Knicks gave Maxey a more aggressive look.
“They can put two on the ball, I’m fine with that, but I got to get more comfortable making the read. I turned the ball over way, way, way too much tonight, especially out of the traps. I got to do a better job staying poised in those traps and make the right play on it.”
Maxey’s finger has been a concern for multiple months now. He’s been on the injury report, listed with a designation throughout the entire playoff run. It doesn’t sound concerning enough to keep him off the court moving forward, but it’s a situation worth keeping an eye on.
The 76ers Are In A Hole
The Sixers are heading back to Philadelphia without a win in round two.
Although Game 2 went a lot better compared to the Game 1 blowout the Sixers suffered, they only have a one-game cushion at this stage of the postseason. There is a lot of catching up to do, and a ton of pressure is going to be placed on Maxey.
In Wednesday’s loss, Maxey played for 47 minutes. He shot 9-23 from the field and 7-9 from the free-throw line to score 26 points. He also had six assists and three rebounds. The star guard turned the ball over six times.
The Sixers and the Knicks are slated for Game 3 on Friday, May 8.