It’s only preseason, but the Philadelphia 76ers are getting hit with a lot of injury problems. From Tobias Harris’ right knee soreness to Shake Milton’s ankle sprain, and now Tyrese Maxey is dealing with adductor tightness.
All three of those players will miss Monday’s preseason matchup with the Brooklyn Nets as they continue to move forward with their preparation for the 2021-22 season.
Maxey, especially, will play a big role in his second season with the team as a guy who will have to get the team involved as he takes on more responsibility amid the Ben Simmons situation. Therefore, coach Doc Rivers says the team will be very careful with the young guard out of Kentucky.
“Nothing big,” said Rivers on Monday. “You just gotta be careful when there’s anything groin or anything like that. You just gotta be very, very careful. He’s fine. He himself was telling me he should play tonight and so that tells you he’s fine. You just gotta be careful with it and you definitely can’t listen to him. That I know.”
Tyrese Maxey out working on his 3-point shot pregame. He remains out tonight with left adductor tightness. #Sixers pic.twitter.com/0sv3FOBCx7
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 11, 2021
Rivers has dealt with injuries all throughout his coaching career as his teams have always been hit hard with the injuries. There have been plenty of times with the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers in the past and even with the Sixers, he has seen this before. At this point, none of this phases him anymore.
“Honestly, I’ve been through it so many times in my career,” he exalted. “I don’t blink a lot. You know it’s never good for your team. You want guys to play especially with we have a lot of guys who are missing a lot of days. It’s not like one day and back. Tobias is gonna be out. Matisse (Thybulle) will be out. Shake will be out. That’s a lot and Tyrese, there’s a little concern too. There’s not a lot you can do about it.”
The best thing that Rivers is focusing on at the moment is to keep a positive mindset that something good will come out of this situation. He is not exactly sure what will come out of it, but something eventually will. That is what he is preaching to his team at the moment.
“I’ve never looked at this as problems,” he stated. “I’ve always looked at this as some opportunity to get better. I never know what the opportunity is, but I’ve always viewed it that way. Something positive will come out of this, just not sure what right now.”
The Sixers and the Nets face off at 8 p.m. EDT on Monday.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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