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Tim BontempsESPN
Emerging Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey suffered a small fracture in his left foot during Friday night’s 110-102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks that will cause him to miss the next three to four weeks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
After X-rays came back negative Friday, an MRI Saturday revealed the extent of Maxey’s injury, which came late in the first half of Philadelphia’s win.
“[Maxey] said what he always says: ‘Coach, I’m good,'” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after Friday night’s win, adding that Maxey was in a boot to protect the foot at the time. “But, you know, I don’t know if he’ll be good right away, would be my guess.”
Now, Maxey will be sidelined until mid-December, while Philadelphia’s other star guard, James Harden, continues to recover from his own foot injury, a right foot tendon strain he suffered in Washington on Nov. 1. Harden told reporters Thursday that he remains on pace to return on schedule, which should be sometime around the start of December.
Maxey suffered the injury with 1 minute, 36 seconds to go in the first half, when he landed awkwardly on the foot while being fouled in transition. He grimaced and let out a yell as he hopped up the ramp behind the basket, then limped back to the foul line and split a pair of free throws.
After the Sixers committed an intentional foul, Maxey hobbled off the court and back to Philadelphia’s locker room. The team then ruled him out for the rest of the game at the start of the second half.
Maxey’s 24 points in the first half of Friday’s game were tied for the second most of any half in his career, per ESPN’s Stats & Information research. He has been on track for a breakout third NBA season that has seen him average career-highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals.
Philadelphia next plays Saturday night at home against Minnesota, before hosting the Nets and Ben Simmons on Tuesday in what will be, if he plays, Simmons’ first game against his former team since being traded for Harden in February.
The 76ers then close out November with two games in Orlando and another in Charlotte before playing Atlanta at home and in Cleveland to round out the month.
With both Harden and Maxey out, there will only be more pressure put on the shoulders of Joel Embiid, who averaged 40 points per game last week — including an iconic 59-point performance Sunday in a win over Utah — and had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists in Philadelphia’s win over Milwaukee Friday night.
Embiid gave the Sixers a scare after injuring his left ankle/foot following a late-game collision with a teammate in Saturday’s loss to the Timberwolves but stayed in the game. He said he was still in pain well after the buzzer and hobbled off the dais following his news conference.
“Hopefully, somehow it feels better, but we’ll see,” Embiid said.
The Assocaited Press contributed to this story.