Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey out with tendon injury

Philadelphia 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey has been sidelined with a tendon injury to his right pinkie and will be reassessed in approximately three weeks, the team confirmed on Tuesday.

The All-Star was hurt in a late-game collision with teammate Adem Bona during Saturday’s loss to Atlanta, clutching his right hand as he left the court and headed straight to the locker room.

Coach Nick Nurse revealed that initial X-rays and an MRI ruled out fractures, but further evaluation with hand specialists confirmed the tendon injury.

Maxey had previously sprained the same pinkie last season. This year, he is enjoying career-best figures, averaging 29 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists, two steals, and 0.8 blocks across 61 games.

Philadelphia has recorded a 33-28 record with Maxey on court, compared with a 1-2 mark in his absence. Notably, he is the only player in the NBA this season with at least 100 steals and 50 blocks, and his 29 points per game are the most by a 76ers guard since Allen Iverson in 2005-06.

Maxey’s potential absence raises concerns over his eligibility for All-NBA honours, as missing any further games could leave him four short of the requirement.

The 76ers also faced further setbacks against Memphis, with Joel Embiid out due to a right oblique strain and Paul George sidelined by a league suspension.

It is pertinent to mention that Embiid is missing his fifth straight game, while George is a couple of weeks away from returning after a 25-game suspension. Over the past two seasons, the trio has only played 31 games together.