Sixers rule Maxey out for final game before All-Star break originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
NEW YORK — In a departure from the norm, Tyrese Maxey wasn’t readying himself for action in the visiting locker room Wednesday night.
Maxey was instead chatting with fellow sidelined guard Kyle Lowry.
After briefly designating Maxey as questionable against the Nets, the Sixers ruled him out because of a right knee contusion. Lowry (right hip injury management), Joel Embiid (left knee injury management), Eric Gordon (right wrist sprain) and Jared McCain (left lateral meniscus surgery) also missed the team’s final game before the All-Star break.
Maxey’s absence is notable in part because he’d been exceptionally available and productive over the last seven weeks or so. Dating back to Nov. 20, Maxey only sat out one game and played 1,470 total minutes, second in the NBA behind Knicks ironman Mikal Bridges.
Maxey had his run of 18 consecutive appearances with at least 27 points end Tuesday in the Sixers’ loss to the Raptors. He scored just five points on 1-for-9 shooting.
After the game, Maxey said there were “no excuses” for his performance and he’d “be better tomorrow.” However, he was clearly not his usual self against Toronto.
“He got treatment this morning,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame Wednesday at Barclays Center. “They found it in the game, where it happened. It was knee-on-knee contact, but they still had him as questionable, thinking that maybe it would improve.
“It didn’t improve; it’s a little sore right now. I don’t have any more information on where it’s going from here yet … information on MRIs or any of that kind of stuff yet. That’s where we are right now.”
Following the break, the Sixers’ next contest is a Feb. 20 home game vs. the Celtics.
Without Maxey, Nurse decided to start trade deadline pickup Jared Butler at point guard alongside Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George and Guerschon Yabusele. He also said he planned to add both Adem Bona and Andre Drummond back into the rotation at center with Embiid sitting.
