Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey has been ruled out for at least the next two games with a right fifth finger strain, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. He will undergo further testing and ‘consultation on the next steps’ before he makes a return.
The Sixers All-Star collided with Adem Bona while diving for a loose ball in the final seconds of their 125-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, March 7. Maxey stayed down for a few moments longer as he grabbed at his right hand before getting up and heading to the locker room while wrapping his hand in the bottom of his jersey.
It’s a tough blow for Maxey, who is averaging career-highs across the board with 29.0 points, 6.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game on 46% shooting. During a season in which the Sixers (34-29) have at times looked like bona fide contenders at their best, Maxey has been their most consistent presence.
But th 76ers have been marred by injuries and other issues all season.
Joel Embiid has missed the team’s last four games with a right oblique strain and won’t be re-evaluated until March 14, so he’ll be out at least three more games. Paul George hasn’t lived up to the max contract he signed with the 76ers in 2024 and is currently serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. Even Rookie of the Year candidate VJ Edgecombe has been out the last three games with a lumbar contusion.
The injury bug comes at a crucial point in the season for Philadelphia as they’re currently locked in a heated race for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. Entering Sunday, they sit half a game behind the Orlando Magic for the sixth seed, but also just a game and a half ahead of the ninth-seeded Hawks, who now own the tiebreaker after the March 7 contest.
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