Sixers Notes: Maxey, Edgecombe, Barlow, Terry

Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey aggravated an injury to the little finger on his right hand in the third quarter of Friday’s win at Indiana, but he didn’t let it slow him down, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Maxey went to the locker room and asked trainers to numb the finger and rewrap it before returning to the game and leading his team to a much-needed victory in the Eastern Conference battle for playoff seeding.

Maxey has been wearing a splint on the finger during the past few games and admitted it has affected the way he’s played.

“I don’t have time to be timid right now,” he said. “My teammates need me. … I did it all year and had a high spirit and kept their spirits high. There’s just no way I’m going to let them down now.”

Joel Embiid‘s emergency appendectomy this week has increased the Sixers’ reliance on Maxey as they prepare for what’s likely to be a trip to the play-in tournament. They could still finish as high as sixth, but a lot would have to go right on Sunday, starting with a win over Milwaukee.

No matter where they finish, Paul George believes the players need to accept their underdog status with Embiid out of the lineup.

“Teams that make it further than their expectation, it’s because they’re playing together,” George said. “So that’s just the mentality and the mindset that we’ve got to have.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

• Rookie VJ Edgecombe is feeling the effects of his first full NBA season, telling Mizell, “I’ve never been so tired in my life.” However, he added, “but I’m ready for the next game,” indicating that he won’t let the grind wear him down. Edgecombe stated that he feels like he’s been playing basketball since the pre-draft process began nearly a year ago. While his body might be aching, Edgecombe emphasized that there’s no mental fatigue. “I think I’m built for it,” he said. “I just want to continue to grow with my teammates. I just want us to continue growing our chemistry. … Obviously, I’m tired, but there’s always a ‘but.’ I’m ready to hoop. I’m ready to go out there and leave it on the floor any given night.”
• This week’s trip to San Antonio was meaningful for Dominick Barlow, who began his career with the Spurs in 2022, per Mizell. He said the organization put the “foundational blocks” in his game, and he’s happy to see them back among the top teams in the West. “They deserve to celebrate the success that they have now,” Barlow said.
• Dalen Terry thought he was about to receive bad news when he woke up after a late flight and saw five missed calls from his agent, Mizell adds. Instead, he learned that the Sixers were promoting him from a two-way contract to a standard deal. Coach Nick Nurse gave Terry an “A+” for his professionalism since joining the team in February. “I hold myself to a higher standard than I think I’m viewed as,” Terry said. “When I came to Philly, I was like, ‘This is finally a chance I get to show everything I can do.’”