The Philadelphia 76ers are 5-9 since Feb. 5 (including a 2-8 record without Joel Embiid), and they are now just 34-30 and are in serious danger of missing the playoffs this year. Philadelphia owns the No. 8 seed in the East, but it is just 6.5 games ahead of the No. 11 seed Milwaukee Bucks.
And with Tyrese Maxey now on the shelf, things are going to get much worse before they get better.
The Kentucky alum missed the 76ers’ 115-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday due to a finger sprain, and he has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with no concrete timetable for his return.
Before Monday’s game, head coach Nick Nurse said Maxey still needs to see a specialist for his injury, and then they will “see where we’re going with it” (h/t Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire).
“Yeah, obviously, it adds to the concern factor for sure,” said coach Nick Nurse before the matchup with the Cavaliers. “I mean, as you know, they got the imaging. There’s no breaks in there, but he still needs to see a specialist or two here to see where we’re going with it. No breaks is where we are now, and he won’t play tonight and tomorrow. We know that for sure, and then we’ll see where we are after.”
The 76ers cannot compete without Tyrese Maxey
One of the 76ers’ biggest problems is that they rely too heavily on Maxey to keep them afloat.
Don’t get it twisted, Maxey is an incredible player and has seemingly established himself as a legitimate No. 1 option in Philadelphia. But it gets to a point where it just becomes too much, and that’s where the team stands right now.
The 25-year-old leads the NBA in total minutes (2,334), field goals made and attempted (616-for-1,336), and three-point field goals attempted (542). Additionally, he has only missed three games to this point this season (with more on the way).
Maxey is playing the best basketball of his career this season, but without more help around him, it’s not going to matter much.
Embiid is currently on the shelf due to an oblique injury. Paul George is still in the midst of his 25-game suspension. VJ Edgecombe is dealing with a back injury and has missed each of the 76ers’ last three games. And outside of those three players, there aren’t many guys on the roster who can genuinely contribute to winning basketball and pick up the slack in their absence.
There is roughly a month remaining on the season, but things are not looking great for the 76ers at the moment. And without Maxey, who has pretty clearly been their heartbeat this year, it’s hard to imagine that better days are coming in the short term.
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