76ers
The 76ers are fighting to retain a top-six selection in the upcoming NBA Draft to avoid sending their first-round pick to the Thunder. That makes Wednesday’s 119-114 loss to the struggling Wizards a fairly important one, as the Sixers have now dropped six straight and 23 of their last 27.
With only nine games remaining, Philadelphia remains tied with the Nets for the fifth-worst record in the league, putting them at risk of losing valuable draft positioning. The team faces a critical home back-to-back this weekend against Miami and Toronto.
- While 76ers coach Nick Nurse believes Tyrese Maxey will return to play this season, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer suggests there may be little incentive to rush him back, given the current state of the team. Maxey has been sidelined since March 3 due to back and finger injuries, and with the playoffs slipping further out of reach, the focus may shift to long-term planning rather than immediate returns.
Celtics
The Celtics proved they can thrive without Jayson Tatum, routing the Suns 132-102 on Wednesday night for their seventh consecutive victory.
With Tatum sidelined due to an ankle injury, the reigning champs dominated from start to finish, showcasing their usual blend of depth and resilience. The win extended their impressive road streak, with Boston now having claimed 14 of their last 15 away games. The lone blemish during that stretch came in a February 27 loss to the Pistons.
- In another positive development, Jaylen Brown appears to be fully recovered from a knee injury. In just his second game back after missing three contests, Brown scored 24 points in 29 minutes, adding to the growing optimism surrounding Boston’s playoff push.
Knicks
The New York Knicks’ point guard depth took another hit on Wednesday, as Cameron Payne, who was starting in place of Jalen Brunson (ankle) and Miles McBride (groin), rolled his ankle in the first half against the and did not return.
Rookie Tyler Kolek, filling in for Payne, played 19 minutes but was scoreless, contributing seven assists. However, he struggled defensively, as noted by ESPN’s Chris Herring. “They kept coming at us with that high two-man game, and I’ve got to be better about defending that,” Kolek said.
- In other injury news, Mitchell Robinson is hopeful he can play in both ends of a back-to-back before the regular season concludes. Robinson has not yet been cleared by the Knicks’ medical staff to play in back-to-back games.
- He did not play in Tuesday’s win over Dallas but logged 13 minutes against the Clippers. Robinson told SNY’s Ian Begley that he’ll “probably” be cleared soon.
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