Tyrese Maxey

Atlantic Notes: Maxey, Raptors, Bridges, Celtics

November 15th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, who is recovering from a right hamstring strain, has resumed on-court work and will be reevaluated early next week, the team announced today (Twitter link via Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer).

When Maxey’s hamstring injury was confirmed last Thursday, the team said he’d be reevaluated in one week, while reporting from Shams Charania of ESPN indicated he would likely be sidelined for approximately two weeks. Based on the latest update from the Sixers, it sounds like Maxey is still on track to meet that timeline, though we’ll have to wait to see how next week’s evaluation goes.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Even after holding Milwaukee to 99 points on Tuesday, the Raptors rank 28th in the NBA with a 118.4 defensive rating. As Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca writes, the team will need to clean things up on that side of the ball in order to be competitive and seemingly has the personnel to improve its performance. According to Grange, two keys for the Raptors will be reducing their foul rate and their turnover rate. They rank dead last in the league with 24.4 fouls per game and are 29th in opponents’ points off turnovers (23.2 per game).
Knicks forward Mikal Bridges is looking forward to facing his old team, the Nets, on Friday for the first time since being traded from Brooklyn to New York over the summer. “I think it’ll be good to see my guys,” Bridges said, per Zach Braziller of The New York Post. “I have a lot of good friends over there, even the coaching staff that’s there, all the way up to (general manager) Sean Marks and (assistant GM) Andy (Birdsong). I’m real close with a lot of those guys, so it will be good to see them.” As Braziller observes, the 5-6 Knicks are just a half-game ahead of the 5-7 Nets in the standings so far, with Bridges (15.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, .304 3PT%) off to a relatively quiet start.
In a mailbag for MassLive.com, Brian Robb discusses Xavier Tillman‘s early-season struggles and explains why a reunion with former Boston center Robert Williams isn’t a viable trade option, among other Celtics-related topics.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, George, McCain

November 13th, 2024 at 11:26am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Joel Embiid made his season debut on Tuesday and had an up-and-down showing in his first game back, scoring just 13 points on 2-of-11 shooting in 26 minutes in a loss to the Knicks. Embiid, who was sidelined due to a left knee issue and a three-game suspension for shoving a reporter, is confident that he’ll round into his usual form as he plays more, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN relays.

“It’s all about confidence and trusting myself,” Embiid said of returning from his knee injury. “Pushing off … I talked about it a couple weeks ago when I talked to you guys, that’s the mental hurdle that I got to get to. But I think I can still be pretty good even without that, which I’m going to get to at some point. I don’t know when. Might be next game, might be in two games … (but) usually get it back pretty fast, so I’m fine.”

The 76ers’ 2-8 record through 10 games is tied for the second-worst mark in the NBA, but with Embiid and Paul George back in action, the team is trending in the right direction from a health perspective. Embiid is looking forward to Tyrese Maxey‘s return from a hamstring strain, which will allow Philadelphia’s big three to play together for the first time.

“I think it’s all about us just getting on the floor together, learning how to play with each other,” Embiid said. “But health is a big thing. I’m back, PG is feeling pretty good, now we need to get Tyrese back, and once we’re all on the floor, I think we’re going to have a pretty good chance to win some games.”

Here’s more on the Sixers:

The Sixers and Embiid both indicated during training camp that the plan would be for him to sit one game in back-to-back sets this season in order to ensure he’s as healthy as possible for the playoffs. However, Embiid said after Tuesday’s game that he’d lobby the team to let him suit up for Wednesday’s matchup with the undefeated Cavaliers. “I know I said I will never play back-to-backs, but I’m a troll,” Embiid said with a smile, per Bontemps. The decision will ultimately be made by the club’s medical staff, Bontemps notes.
[UPDATE: Both Embiid and George have been ruled out for Wednesday’s game vs. the Cavaliers due to knee injury management.]
While Embiid struggled individually in his return to action, his presence made things easier for George, who had 29 points and 10 rebounds (both season highs) in his best game so far as a Sixer. “He just opens the floor up so much,” George said, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “So it was a lot for me to take away from this game on how I can free myself up even more, and how I can try to help him get into a rhythm and free himself up even more.” George added that he feels like his conditioning is improving following his own early-season injury absence. He has played over 32 minutes in each of his past two games after averaging 26.7 MPG in his first three outings.
After playing a modest role in the Sixers’ rotation to open the season, rookie Jared McCain has logged 30-plus minutes in each of his past three appearances, averaging 22.7 points per game on .451/.407/1.000 shooting during that stretch. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (subscriber link) takes a closer look at why McCain, who struggled in Summer League, is having success and what the team should expect from him going forward.

Tyrese Maxey Expected To Miss Two Weeks With Hamstring Issue

November 7th, 2024 at 6:15pm CST by Rory Maher

6:15pm: The Sixers officially announced that Maxey had an MRI on his hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in one week, as relayed by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link).

11:20am: Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey is expected to miss around two weeks due to a right hamstring injury, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Maxey will receive a full evaluation later on Thursday. Philadelphia plans to take a cautious approach to the soft-tissue injury, per Charania.

Maxey played 32 minutes through three periods in Wednesday’s road loss to the Clippers, but notably struggled in the third quarter, going 0-of-3 from the field and scoring no points in 12 minutes. With the 76ers down by 16 points entering the final frame, head coach Nick Nurse decided to rest Maxey for the remainder of the contest, calling it a “precautionary” move, as Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports tweets.

Obviously, it’s unfortunate news for both Maxey and the Sixers, who have struggled mightily to open the season in part due to injuries. Marquee free agent addition Paul George just made his season debut on Monday, and 2023 MVP Joel Embiid has yet to play a game — he’s expected to return on Tuesday after serving a three-game suspension following an altercation with a columnist.

Maxey had been carrying a very heavy workload amid injuries to Philadelphia’s other two stars. He was leading the NBA in minutes per game (39.7) and was tied with Luka Doncic for the league lead in field goal attempts per contest at 23.6.

The Sixers, who are currently tied with the Bucks and Jazz for the worst record in the NBA at 1-6, play several games over the next couple weeks. If Maxey is ready in exactly two weeks, he will have missed seven contests, with Nov. 22 vs. Brooklyn a possible return date — that’s obviously very tentative though and subject to change, depending on what the examination reveals.

With Maxey sidelined, fellow guards Kyle Lowry, Jared McCain and Eric Gordon are all candidates for more playing time.

Over the offseason, Maxey signed a five-year, maximum-salary contract with the Sixers as a restricted free agent. He’s under contract through 2029.

Sixers Notes: Gordon, Martin, Embiid, George, Nurse

October 29th, 2024 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Tyrese Maxey led the way in the Sixers‘ overtime win over Indiana on Sunday, with a game-high 45 points in his 48 minutes of action. But the team likely wouldn’t have gotten its first victory of the season if not for a pair of offseason additions, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who highlights the contributions of Eric Gordon and Caleb Martin.

Gordon scored 15 points and was a plus-17 in 32 minutes off the bench, while Martin had a double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds) in 37 minutes.

Joel Embiid and Paul George will be back in the 76ers’ lineup at some point, but it won’t happen on Wednesday vs. Detroit. As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports tweets, while the two stars participated in portions of practice on Tuesday, they’ve been ruled out for tomorrow’s game and will be reevaluated again later this week.

With or without those stars healthy, the club will need major contributions from its role players, Pompey writes. Sunday’s win showed what that could look like, and Gordon is confident that Philadelphia’s supporting cast will only improve as the season progresses.

“We are going to continue to get better,” Gordon said. “This is the worst, you know? You can never panic in this league. There’s too many games, an 82-game season. It’s too early. And we’re going to continue to get better and better. We’ve got guys with great attitudes who are wanting to win.”

Here’s more on the Sixers:

No team brought back fewer players from last season’s roster (seven) than the 76ers. That – along with Embiid’s and George’s absences – has created an early-season challenge for head coach Nick Nurse, who is still getting accustomed to his new-look squad and determining the strengths and weaknesses of certain lineups, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I’ve got to learn what’s going on with this team,” Nurse said during Sunday’s post-game media session. “… I’m trying to learn what looks good, and what doesn’t.”
Embiid hasn’t suited up for a game yet this fall, but he’s already been hit with his first technical foul of the season. According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link), the league announced on Monday that Embiid was assessed a technical for waving a towel on the bench while Andrew Nembhard was shooting free throws on Sunday.
Patrick McCaw, Marcus Bagley, and Isaiah Mobley are among the notable names on the training camp roster announced on Monday (via Twitter) by the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphia’s G League affiliate. McCaw won three NBA championships with Golden State and Toronto during the first three years of his playing career, while Bagley and Mobley are the brothers of established NBA players (Marvin Bagley III and Evan Mobley).

Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis Named Players Of The Week

October 28th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum and Lakers star forward/center Anthony Davis were named the NBA’s Players of the Week for the stretch of Oct. 22-27, the league announced (Twitter link). Tatum was the Eastern Conference’s winner, while Davis claimed the Western Conference award.

Tatum helped the Celtics to a 3-0 start to the season, which included blowout wins over the Knicks and Wizards. In his first three games, Tatum averaged 33.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting a blistering 54.7% from the field and 48.6% from beyond the arc.

Davis has also shot the ball extremely well to open the year, connecting on a .571/.400/.800 line. He has helped the Lakers win against three playoff hopefuls this year, defeating the Timberwolves, Suns and Kings to remain undefeated. Davis is averaging 34.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.7 steals per game to open the year.

According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the East were Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Orlando’s Franz Wagner and Atlanta’s Trae Young. Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, the Clippers’ James Harden and Ivica Zubac, and the Lakers’ LeBron James were nominated in the West.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, George, Maxey

October 24th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Dana Gauruder

As expected, the NBA has officially launched an investigation into Joel Embiid‘s player participation, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.

The player participation policy requires stars (defined as players who have made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons) to suit up for nationally televised games. If they’re held out of action without an injury or without the league granting an exception, the team is subject to a fine.

The Sixers have already stated that Embiid, who also didn’t play in the preseason, will miss the first three games of the season. They are determined to keep him fresh for the postseason.

We have more on the Sixers:

Philadelphia opened its season with a 15-point loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday, as Paul George also sat out with a knee injury. Tyrese Maxey said that injuries can’t be used as an excuse, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We played one game,” Maxey said. “I’m not about to sit here and say that just because Jo was out, we played bad. Yes, we did not win the game, which is the ultimate goal. But we’ve been with Jo all preseason. All training camp for the most part. … I mean, this team, us winning can’t solely be on Joel Embiid. It just can’t.”
Embiid and George have developed a strong friendship. The Inquirer’s Gina Mizell delves deep into this topic, noting they had extensive conversations at All-Star weekends. “He was like, ‘Man, regardless of what goes on, I look at you as someone that I want to be friends with for a long part of my life,’” George said. “And that was deep to me. Because we knew each other, but we didn’t know each other on that level yet. … [From] that point on, we just kind of built a stronger relationship, where it came to this summer.”
Despite the presence of that star veteran duo, Maxey feels he needs to become more of a leader, he told The Athletic’s Tony Jones. “I need to lead by example. I need to lead with my voice,” he said. “I know that I’m young, but I have to play well and if I do that I can demand respect with my play. I think Joel has given me the green light to lead, especially because he doesn’t talk as much. I have a lot of veterans in the locker room that are here to help me. But I really want to set a good example just by how hard I work.”

Sixers Notes: Martin, Star Trio, Arena

October 20th, 2024 at 3:09pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

One of the most underrated Sixers free agent additions of the summer was versatile three-and-D combo forward Caleb Martin. The veteran wing may not be a marquee name like nine-time All-Star Paul George, but he’s eager to prove his mettle as a multifaceted role player, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Pompey notes that Martin could prove to be a crucial “glue guy” for the club as it seeks its first title in 42 seasons. Martin expressed enthusiasm about taking on a complementary role.

“That’s how you fit in,” Martin said. “That’s how you complete the pieces of the puzzle. If everybody’s got the same agenda, averaging 20 points, playing the most minutes, getting up the most shots, that’s not how you complete a team.”

Although he’s just 6’5″, the 29-year-old is projected to serve as Philadelphia’s starting power forward, as he did during much of his tenure with the Heat. Martin was a key member of Miami’s charmed 2023 playoff run, which saw the club reach the NBA Finals.

During his final season in Miami in 2023/24, Martin averaged a career-best 10.0 points per game on .431/.349/.778 shooting splits, along with 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. He inked a four-year, $35MM deal with the Sixers this summer.

There’s more out of Philadelphia:

Health will be paramount for the Sixers’ new “Big Three” of All-NBA center Joel Embiid, George, and All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey, Pompey writes in another Inquirer story. Maxey exited Friday’s preseason finale against the Magic after bruising his right thumb, but that was viewed as a precautionary decision. George is dealing with a hyperextended knee and is questionable to play in the team’s regular season opener Wednesday. Embiid hasn’t scrimmaged with the team or played a single game during the preseason as the 2023 MVP looks to manage his health with an eye towards playoff glory. Pompey notes that Philadelphia plans to exercise caution with the 34-year-old George in addition to Embiid.
Critics of the Sixers’ impending new arena in downtown Philadelphia have asked who will truly benefit from the building’s construction, according to Jeff Gammage, Sean Collins Walsh, and Anna Orsol of The Philadelphia Inquirer. While $50MM from team ownership has been allocated for the community, those critics question just how that money will be doled out. “We still have negotiations to do, and working with the development team and administration to make sure those changes that we believe are necessary will be put into either the legislation or the [agreement for the new arena,” city councilman Mark Squilla said.
In case you missed it, Philadelphia waived four players ahead of the start of the regular season.

Sixers Notes: Reserves, Embiid, George, Drummond, Maxey

October 14th, 2024 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

With the Sixers resting several veterans Saturday on the second night of a back-to-back set, the team’s youngsters and reserves were on the wrong end of a 50-point shellacking at the hands of the defending champion Celtics. As Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, many of the players who logged big minutes on Saturday are unlikely to play major roles during the season, but they’ll likely be needed at times, so the lopsided loss to Boston was an important learning experience.

“Teaching them how hard they have to play is something you have to do,” head coach Nick Nurse said after the game. “They’re young, and we’ve got to show them what it’s like. But it gives them some good experience out there against some really good players.”

There were some positives to take away from the blowout, including 20 points from rookie Jared McCain, another solid outing from big man Guerschon Yabusele, and promising on-ball defense from two-way player Justin Edwards, Mizell notes. But Nurse acknowledged that his team frequently got caught ball-watching and didn’t match the Celtics’ speed or intensity.

“It (stinks), obviously, (that) I’m on the opposing side of it,” McCain said of the 50-point loss. “But it’s great for me to learn from.”

Here’s more on the 76ers:

How should Sixers fans react to the news that Joel Embiid‘s preseason is over? Tony Jones of The Athletic explores that topic, suggesting that it looks like a case of the team just being cautious, but could lead to some additional growing pains for the new-look roster early in the regular season due to minimal preseason reps with the superstar center on the floor. It’s also likely a preview of the careful way in which the 76ers will handle Embiid’s playing time during the regular season, Jones adds.
Both Embiid and newcomer Paul George are unlikely to play both ends of “many back-to-backs, if any” this season, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
The Sixers had tried multiple times to reacquire Andre Drummond after having to give him up in the James Harden trade with Brooklyn in 2022, Bontemps reports within the same ESPN story. Embiid, aware that he’d need a high-quality backup center in order for Philadelphia to properly manage his minutes, was part of the recruiting effort when Drummond reached free agency over the summer. “Getting a phone call from the best center in the NBA saying, ‘I need you here’ … it’s hard to tell him no,” Drummond told Bontemps. “I spoke to a lot of teams this summer, and he was probably the third or fourth person to call me. I wasn’t even expecting to hear from him. … He just gave me an idea of what he was looking for and he needed me to come back to really help him out to win something bigger than him.”
While he may not have been thrilled on draft night in 2020 to fall to 21st overall, Tyrese Maxey realizes in retrospect that it was the best thing that could have happened to him, based on the situation he ended up in and how his career has progressed since then, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “As a young kid, 19 years old, you are looking at the draft. You are like, ‘Man, I want to go as high as I possibly can,'” Maxey said. “But then when you fall to a contending team and you are able to be on a team and soak up all the knowledge that they give you, man, you are blessed.”

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, McCain, Yabusele

October 3rd, 2024 at 5:13pm CST by Tristan Tucker

By all measures, Joel Embiid‘s NBA career has been a resounding success. Having burst onto the scene in 2016 after missing his first two seasons with injury, Embiid has won an MVP award, received seven All-Star nods, has an Olympic gold medal and, as Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated writes, has locked in over $500MM in total (past and future) career earnings.

However, Embiid has never made it past the second round of the playoffs during his tenure with the Sixers. From 2017-23, Embiid’s teams went to the second round in six of seven seasons, but didn’t appear in the Eastern Finals. Teams like the 2019 Sixers gave it their all but lost to the eventual NBA champions. In other years, like in 2021 against the Hawks, the Sixers probably should’ve advanced on paper.

Regardless of the fact that teams like the reigning champion Celtics or the new-look Knicks stand in their way, Embiid is more than ready to add a championship to his resume, Mannix writes. At nearly 31 years old, he’s feeling the urgency to win now. After several injuries that have impacted him in the playoffs, the star center is prepared to do whatever it takes to get to the playoffs in a healthy and dominant state.

“Basically every single year of my career, I’ve been hurting in the playoffs,” Embiid said, after explaining that back-to-backs would be phased out for him this season. “So I think that’s the goal. And it is all about doing whatever it takes to get there.”

While the Sixers made plenty of strong moves this offseason, including adding Paul George and Caleb Martin, they all understand their postseason ceiling hinges on the availability of Embiid, who is now in his 30s. While the championship window may be limited overall, Embiid is excited by the success he enjoyed this summer with the Olympic team, per Mannix, and he’s hoping to keep that momentum going this season.

We have more from the Sixers:

On the subject of staying healthy, Embiid knows the medical staff will tell him to ease off more than he would like this season, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes. He understands that’s what he will need to do if he wants to make the postseason and stay there. “They know that if they have to punch me, slap me, take my stuff away from me [to] not to get on that court, they’re going to have to do it,” Embiid said. “I might get mad, I might curse people out, but I think it’s a relationship. We’ve been working together for years now. Now I look at the big picture, and I’ve always listened to them, but now it’s even more of the time where I should listen and see what they have to say.” According to Embiid, he has already lost 25-30 pounds before the season and is aiming to lose more in accordance with his conditioning.
Tyrese Maxey has consistently improved over the course of his four NBA seasons, but he’s now added muscle and is sounding different thus far in training camp, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Maxey is assuming the role of a veteran leader during training camp, which has included closely mentoring 2024 draftees Jared McCain and Adem Bona. All three went out together for dinner, Pompey adds. “I lead by example now,” Maxey said. “I get up early and work out early in the morning before practice. And I like to win. I want to win. I know how things work around here. I’m just trying to be what’s demanded and make us be more dominant.“
The Sixers used the 16th overall pick in the 2024 draft on McCain, a sweet-shooting guard prospect out of Duke. While he’s only 20 years old, the rookie is already impressing teammates in training camp. According to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link), Embiid called McCain the team’s best player in camp so far, making a point to highlight his competitiveness and shooting. McCain averaged 14.3 points per game and shot 41.4% from three in his first and only college season. He’ll compete for minutes with veterans Kyle Lowry and Reggie Jackson.
Former first round pick Guerschon Yabusele turned heads during the 2024 Olympics due to his play for France. Although he hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019, the Sixers are counting on the 6’8″ forward to make an impact as a high-energy reserve who can make hustle plays and hit the occasional deep shot. “Yabusele was a great pickup just from when you are looking at the whole roster all summer long,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “You are kind of thinking, ‘Where is a need there?’ And I think there was probably a need at the four spot, and that’s what he is.” According to Pompey in a separate story, Nurse said Yabusele will get a shot at regular rotation minutes.

Atlantic Notes: Morris, Knicks, Embiid, George, Nets

October 1st, 2024 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward Marcus Morris has decided not to rejoin the Knicks on a new training camp deal after being waived by New York over the weekend, tweets James L. Edwards of The Athletic. Ian Begley of SNY.tv confirms (via Twitter) that Morris has declined an offer to return to the Knicks.

Morris’ release appeared to be a logistical move that would allow the Knicks to open up the roster spots needed to complete the sign-and-trades involved in their Karl-Anthony Towns trade with Minnesota. There would be nothing stopping the veteran forward from re-signing with New York once that deal is official.

However, as Edwards explains, the financial restrictions created by the Towns trade will make Morris less likely to make the Knicks’ regular season roster, so he’s looking to join a new team before the NBA’s season begins three weeks from Tuesday.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Knicks made a series of splashy, ill-fated roster moves earlier in the 21st century, but the trade for Towns is something different, according to Howard Beck of The Ringer, who makes the case for why this big swing actually makes sense for the organization.
Having expressed on Monday that his number one goal this season is to make sure he’s healthy for the playoffs, Sixers center Joel Embiid told reporters that the quality and depth of the team’s roster should take some pressure off him during the regular season, as Aaron Carter of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “In the past, I felt like I had to (take over),” Embiid said. “This year, I don’t think I’m going to have to do it, unless I have to do it. So I really have a lot of confidence in these guys to figure it out and for me to just use myself as a decoy to allow (them) to be themselves and be good at what they do best.”
Discussing his fit in Philadelphia, new Sixers wing Paul George said this will be the first time that he’s played alongside “an elite point guard and elite big man all at once,” per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Like Embiid, George is bullish on the idea that the Sixers’ stars and quality role players can all make life easier for one another. “Having the floor spaced around (Tyrese Maxey) and myself, being able to play off a big man and play in transition with Tyrese, I think all three of us can flow and make the game easy for all of us,” George said. “I love sharing the ball and I love being aggressive to score. So I kind of think all three of us look at the game the same way.”
The Nets are using an unflattering over/under line from oddsmakers (19.5 wins) as motivation as they prepare for the 2024/25 season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “I find it disrespectful. Just because we’ve got a lot of guys that people don’t know doesn’t mean we’re going to win just 19 games,” center Day’Ron Sharpe said on Monday. “You can’t be one foot out and one foot in. I’m trying to win as many games as possible and a lot of people are going to doubt us and we’re gonna show them.”

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