The Philadelphia 76ers began their season with stars Joel Embiid and Paul George on the sidelines. Though George has returned to the court and Embiid is on his way back, the team has suffered another brutal injury. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey is dealing with a right hamstring injury that he suffered in Wednesday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. According to Charania, the guard “is expected to miss a couple of weeks” due to the injury.
Just In: Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Tyrese Maxey is expected to miss a couple of weeks because of a right hamstring injury, sources told ESPN. Full evaluation coming later Thursday but sides are bracing for Maxey’s absence. Sixers will take careful approach with the injury. pic.twitter.com/sPxFnsylYF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 7, 2024
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Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Expected to Miss Multiple Weeks
Tyrese Maxey’s Season Before the Injury So Far
Due to the absences of George and Embiid, Maxey has assumed a major role for the 76ers to start the season. Through seven games, he is averaging 39.7 minutes, 23.6 field goals, and 11 three-point field goals. These would all be career highs for Maxey. Additionally, he is averaging 27.6 points, 3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.4 steals. Due to his larger role, Maxey is not as efficient, however, shooting just 40.6% from the floor and 28.6% from the three-point line. Nonetheless, despite winning the Most Improved Player award last season, Maxey has made another jump in his performance so far.
Unfortunately for Maxey and the 76ers, his performances have not translated to wins. Through two weeks, the 76ers are 1-6 and are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the worst record in the East. Currently, they rank as a bottom-10 team on both sides of the ball and have the third-worst net rating in the league (-8.7). Once the 76ers become healthy again, these numbers should improve.
In Maxey’s place, the 76ers will likely rely more heavily on Kyle Lowry and Reggie Jackson in the backcourt. Furthermore, George will assume a larger role as the team’s main star for now.
The Last Word
Maxey’s injury is a brutal blow to the 76ers. Heading into the season, many expected them to finish as a top-three team in the conference. The season is still young, and they have plenty of time to get to that level. However, early on, things are not looking good for Philadelphia. By the time Maxey returns to action, it will be at least a month into the season before their “Big Three” take the court together. As long as the team stays afloat, things should work out in the end. However, if not, the 76ers will have a difficult task to get back on track.
Fortunately for the team, they are in the less-than-competitive Eastern Conference. At this point, only two teams in the East (the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics) have a winning record. Even given their poor start, the 76ers stand just one game back of a Play-In spot. As the season progresses, this will balance itself out. However, it is an interesting fact within the context. Things are looking grim in Philadelphia, but it is way too early to count the team out.
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