76ers Star to Miss NBA Cup Opener vs. Knicks

A major star from last year’s epic playoff tilt between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers won’t be reprising his role on Tuesday night.

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, Philadelphia star Tyrese Maxey is “expected to miss a couple of weeks because of a right hamstring injury.”

While Charania notes that the 76ers are engaged in a full evaluation of Maxey on Thursday, they are “bracing for [his] absence] that will more than likely eat away at the Sixers’ upcoming showdown against the Knicks at Wells Fargo Center, which will serve as the opener of NBA Cup group play for both sides on Tuesday night.

Charania previously reported that Philadelphia franchise face Joel Embiid will make his season debut on Tuesday night but losing Maxey is yet another blow for the reeling 76ers (1-6).

Maxey averaged 29.6 points during the six-game battle between the Knicks and 76ers last spring and notably earned 46 in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, which put off Philadelphia’s elimination for one night. Averaging a career-best 27.6 so far this season (eighth-best in the Association), Maxey left the 76ers’ Wednesday night showdown against the Los Angeles Clippers due to the injury.

The Tuesday tilt between the Knicks and Sixers has gained its share of headlines such as Embiid’s debut and the in-season competition implications. But neither side has got off to the start it envisioned after a busy offseason that added the likes of Mikal Bridges, Paul George, and Karl-Anthony Towns to the simmering rivalry.

George made his Sixer debut on Wednesday night in Los Angeles but that wasn’t enough to avoid a 110-98 loss to his former employers. As it stands, Philadelphia shares the worst record in the NBA alongside Utah and fellow Eastern tumblers from Milwaukee, which faces the Knicks on Friday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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