76ers’ Tyrese Maxey Leaves Matchup vs Magic With Injury
The Philadelphia 76ers rolled out some of their key players for their preseason finale against the Orlando Magic. Tyrese Maxey got the start once again.
Unfortunately, the veteran guard’s night ended rather early. After five minutes of play, Maxey was seen grabbing at his hand. He left the court and wouldn’t return before halftime.
According to a Sixers official, Maxey has a thumb contusion. As expected, the Sixers do not plan to have the veteran guard return to the court for the rest of Friday’s game.
Maxey played in just five minutes against the Magic. He went 0-1 from the field and picked up a foul.
Leading up to Friday’s game, Maxey appeared in four preseason matchups. He averaged 20 minutes on the floor throughout the stretch.
Putting up 12 shots per game, Maxey accounted for 14 points per game on 41 percent shooting from the field. He came second in scoring on the Sixers throughout the preseason next to the veteran forward, Paul George, who appeared in just two games.
The severity of Maxey's setback is currently unknown. Considering it's the final game of the preseason, the Sixers are likely keeping the guard out for the rest of the game to be cautious. This preseason, the 76ers have dealt with a handful of injuries.
While Joel Embiid wasn’t officially diagnosed with any setbacks, the Sixers have held him out of the action since they started training camp. The All-Star center reportedly participated in drills but didn’t scrimmage. He missed a few preseason games before the Sixers officially shut him down. According to the team, Embiid is managing his knee after undergoing surgery last season.
As for Paul George, he dealt with a hyperextended knee in a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. While an MRI revealed no structural damage, George was still placed on a one-week timeline for recovery. Next week, the Sixers will reevaluate the veteran forward and go from there.
On Wednesday, the rookie Jared McCain suffered a pulmonary contusion during the matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. While he avoided a major setback, he was also ruled out for Friday’s game in Orlando.
At this point, getting Maxey and the rest of the roster to Wednesday night's opener against the Milwaukee Bucks is the top priority.