Philadelphia 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey will miss at least the next three weeks due to a tendon injury in his right pinkie finger, further complicating the team's struggles. The 76ers, already without Paul George and Joel Embiid for extended periods, hold a precarious position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Oklahoma City Thunder stand to potentially benefit from the Sixers' slide through draft pick protections.
The Philadelphia 76ers announced that Tyrese Maxey sustained a tendon injury to his right pinkie finger, ruling him out for at least three weeks. This timeline includes a re-evaluation period, with the best-case scenario seeing Maxey return by the end of March. The injury adds to the team's woes, as the 76ers sit at 34-30 and have lost eight of their last 12 games.
Paul George has not played since January 29, serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy. Joel Embiid has appeared in only five games since February and remains sidelined with an oblique strain. These absences leave the Sixers one game ahead of the No. 9 seed Atlanta Hawks and three games ahead of the No. 10 seed Charlotte Hornets.
Maxey's absence is particularly damaging. The team is outscored by nearly 10 points per 100 possessions when he is off the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass data, resulting in what would be the league's worst offense. Maxey, a first-time All-Star starter, averages 29 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. He has missed just three games this season but is now guaranteed to miss the next 11, totaling 14 absences. Players can miss up to 17 games and remain eligible for awards like All-NBA, leaving Maxey with a narrow buffer if he returns on schedule.
The 76ers face a challenging schedule ahead: versus Memphis on Tuesday, at Detroit, versus Brooklyn, versus Portland, at Denver, at Sacramento, at Utah, versus Oklahoma City, versus Chicago, at Charlotte, and at Miami. George returns before the Chicago matchup, but the first eight games will lack both Maxey and George, and Embiid's status remains uncertain. Teams like Brooklyn, Sacramento, Utah, Chicago, and Memphis are in rebuilding phases, but matchups against Detroit, Portland, Denver, and Oklahoma City pose significant tests.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, who own the Sixers' first-round draft pick this summer if it falls outside the top four, could gain from Philadelphia's potential drop into the Play-In Tournament. The Thunder also hold the Clippers' pick and Utah's if it is outside the top eight, positioning them for multiple lottery selections despite their strong standing.