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PHILADELPHIA — Tyrese Maxey is gritting through a right finger sprain as the Philadelphia 76ers try to keep their season afloat. At this point, though, letting Maxey rest is the best way to go.
Maxey worked on shooting with just three fingers so that he could keep playing and help the Sixers stay competitive. In a loss to the New York Knicks and a win over the Golden State Warriors, Maxey played well below his usual standard. His performances invited speculation that he needs to rest up for his injury to get better.
Nick Nurse said there has not been a thought yet to shutting Maxey down for a little bit to let his injury heal. But he and the team are still monitoring the situation.
“I think, again, I want to check to see if it's getting better or worse or not,” the 76ers head coach said. “Again, obviously, I thought [he] turned down a bunch of wide open threes. That's a big part of what he does and I think that's probably directly related to it and directly related to last game. But let's see if it can get a little bit better here in the next couple days, then we'll see what's going on.”
Tyrese Maxey fighting through finger injury for 76ers
The 76ers want to remain competitive for the rest of the season, so they want to have Maxey play as much as possible. Although Maxey played better in the second half against the Knicks and recorded 11 assists in a close win against the Warriors, he was not playing at his typical level. He admitted that his finger is bothering him and that it’s hindering his ability.
With Joel Embiid sidelined for the rest of the season, the 76ers obviously prefer to have Maxey play. But having him risk further injury in what is turning out to be a lost season does no one any good. And losing games makes it more likely that the Sixers keep their top-six protected pick, the asset that will help them remain competitive going forward.
