WASHINGTON–As the Philadelphia 76ers continue their four-game road trip on Tuesday in a matchup with the Washington Wizards, they know that the return of their rising star guard is set to return from injury soon.
Tyrese Maxey, who has been out since Nov. 18 with a left foot fracture, is set to return during this road trip. Either on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans or on Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Philadelphia will certainly welcome him back with open arms.
As the Sixers prepared for the Wizards on Tuesday, Maxey was able to get some work in at shootaround at Georgetown University. He also was able to get some work in on Thursday before the game.
“He had a good practice yesterday (Thursday),” said coach Doc Rivers. “Low-minute group, I think we landed at 3 or 2 or whatever and all the guys who would play in a low-minute went right over to Georgetown and played and that was good. So he’s getting closer for sure.”
As far as what Rivers is hoping to have back from the third-year guard from Kentucky, he’s hoping to have his scoring and his playmaking.
“When we get him, it’ll be good to have,” he said. “It’ll give us another weapon. Another ball-handler which I think we still need and then a guy with speed and can shoot the ball so he’ll add a lot.”
As far as what his role is going to be right away, Rivers said everything is on the table with Maxey including bringing him off the bench. De’Anthony Melton has been playing so well with the starting lineup that maybe it would make sense to bring the young guard off the bench.
“We think about, even when he wasn’t there, we always think about it,” he said. “We have discussions about lineups every day and we’ll probably continue to have that.”
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