April 22, 2024
Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports
The Sixers fell short vs. the New York Knicks in Game 1, but their All-Star guard, Tyrese Maxey, dazzled in the second half and led all scorers in the game with 33 points.
Tyrese Maxey, who led all scorers in the Sixers' close Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks with 33 points on Saturday evening, was placed on the Sixers' injury report with an "illness" on Monday morning, just hours ahead of a pivotal Game 2 in which the Sixers will attempt to even the series before it returns to Philadelphia.
Maxey was not at the team's pregame shootaround Monday morning. That is not exactly an abnormality for someone who is initially listed as questionable but ultimately does play, especially when their designation is an illness and not a traditional injury -- so while his missing shootaround is certainly not an ideal sign, it is not exactly an indication that he will be ruled out for the game.
In Game 1 against the Knicks, it took Maxey until after halftime to crack the Knicks' defense. He looked a bit timid early on, similar to how he did in the early portion of the Sixers' Play-In Tournament victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday. But in both games, Maxey was able to shift into gear early in the second half and become the star-level scorer the Sixers now know him to be.
Maxey, who was officially nominated for the NBA's 2023-24 Most Improved Player Award Sunday night and is the favorite to take home the honor, scored 21 points on an exquisite 9-12 shooting line in the second half on Saturday evening. He routinely burned Knicks defenders of all sizes with his handles, drives and impressive at-rim finishes, while also knocking down some clutch jumpers to help keep the Sixers afloat.
The Sixers are always reliant on Maxey to a degree, but the fourth-year guard could be tasked with especially significant duties in upcoming games due to the uncertain status of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who dominated Knicks defenders in the first half but was a shell of himself in the second half -- making just two of his dozen field goal attempts post-intermission -- after he suffered a serious injury scare to his already-injured left knee.
Embiid only ended up missing a few minutes of game time due to the injury, but it looked serious in the moment and Embiid's subsequent offensive performance indicated he was not at full strength. The Sixers needed Maxey to step up, and though they fell short, they cannot say he did not do that. They are going to need the first-time All-Star guard to continue to rise to the occasion. But will he even be on the floor in Monday night's crucial Game 2?
