Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid will play in Game 2 of 76ers-Knicks playoff series
After being listed as questionable earlier Monday, Tyrese Maxey will play in Game 2 of the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks, according to reports.
According to league sources, Tyrese Maxey is expected to play tonight.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) April 22, 2024
The All-Star point guard did not participate in the Sixers’ shootaround on Monday morning due to an illness. He was the only member who did not attend the morning session.
Center Joel Embiid was also listed as questionable for Monday’s game despite attending the team shootaround, but the Sixers say he’ll play. During Philadelphia’s 111–104 loss in Game 1, Embiid aggravated his left knee after a dunk late in the second quarter. The reigning NBA MVP had meniscus surgery on that left knee in January, missing two months of the regular season.
Embiid returned to play in the third quarter but was ineffective in the second half, shooting 2-for-11.
Maxey scored a game-high 33 points in Game 1, with the Knicks seemingly unable to prevent him from getting to the rim.
Cameron Payne will play more with Maxey’s minutes being limited with Kyle Lowry taking more of a scoring role. Lowry scored 18 points in Game 1, shooting 4-for-7 from 3-point range.
On Sunday, Maxey was announced as one of three finalists for the NBA Most Improved Player award, along with the Houston Rockets‘ Alperen Şengün and Coby White of the Chicago Bulls. During the regular season, he was the Sixers’ second-leading scorer, averaging 25.9 points per game with 6.2 assists.