With all teams just having one game left on their regular season slates, no one is ever really fully healthy at this juncture. As such, minor bumps and bruises are just part of the process. The Philadelphia 76ers, however, has gotten the short end of the stick as they recently learned that Joel Embiid is extremely likely to miss the start of the postseason with an untimely appendicitis which required surgery.
As such, the task of piloting the 76ers will fall into the hands of Tyrese Maxey, who has been absolutely stellar for the team this season. Maxey, who is the fifth-leading scorer in the NBA, will have to do even more than his usual load and production to help the team cope up with the loss of Embiid, who is arguably still their best player. However, it seems like he himself is dealing with recurent discomfort as of the moment.
During their recent game (which they nevertheless won), Maxey shot just 1-10 from three-point range. As such, he headed to the locker room and got his hand checked. When asked about it after the game, the All-Star guard revealed that he is feeling some discomfort in one of his fingers, which has been affecting his shooting.
Tyrese Maxey delivers blunt truth the 76ers can no longer afford to face
"The finger is a little funny, you know what I'm saying? So, like, I kind of look a little timid, but I don't have time to be timid right now. My teammates need me. I had a talk with (player development coach) Toure’ (Murray). I just got to go out there and do it."
With Maxey facing a finger injury, the 76ers have an even smaller margin of error as they aim to sneak into the playoffs. The most likely scenario is they will end up having to fight for their lives in the play-in tournament, albeit with two cracks under their belt. Still, it does not change the fact that not a lot of people will give them even a fighting chance to make it out of the first round if they do get there.
Maxey is a high-volume shooter from the perimeter, so a finger discomfort can definitely make life a lot tougher on him. Defenses already tend to double down on slowing him down, which can also make it difficult for him to get into his mojo.
At the very least, the 76ers have nothing to lose. Given their current state, they might not even be favored in any matchup in the play-in. Still, having a tough warrior in Maxey who is already used to playing hobbled will certainly be an edge for them, as few players can match his scoring prowess. Hopefully, it turns into a playoff spot for Philly.