76ers vs. Pelicans: What to Look For in Tyrese Maxey's Return

UPDATE: Tyrese Maxey is officially upgraded to AVAILABLE on Friday night.

When the Philadelphia 76ers take the floor on Friday night at the Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans to face the Pelicans, there’s a good chance the Sixers’ third-year guard Tyrese Maxey will be suited up and ready to play for his team.

Maxey missed the last 18 games due to a fractured foot. While the young guard was reportedly expected to return roughly three-to-four weeks after his diagnosis, the young guard took longer than expected. Now, barring any unexpected setbacks, the wait should be over.

Here’s what to look out for and what to expect in Maxey’s return to action on Friday:

Off the Bench?

Doc Rivers wouldn’t confirm whether or not Maxey will come off the bench when he first returns to action. While we can almost be certain that Maxey will remain in the starting lineup alongside James Harden when he’s one-hundred percent, the Sixers shouldn’t break up the successful starting backcourt of De’Anthony Melton and Harden as Maxey works his way back to one hundred percent.

“I see all scenarios with our guys,” Doc Rivers said last week when asked about the idea of bringing Maxey off the bench. “When he comes back, we’re not gonna throw him right in, regardless. He’s been out a long time, and it’s a foot injury, so it’s not like conditioning, but we’re open to everything.”

Expect the possibility of Maxey coming off the bench on Friday. With the Sixers rolling, winning eight of their last nine games with the current rotation, Philadelphia shouldn’t shake things up while they have momentum, especially after a slow start to the year.

When Maxey’s one-hundred percent, the Sixers can plug him in where they see fit, as he’ll be selfless and productive in any role. For the time being, the young rising star’s focus should be on getting back into optimal shape after missing over a month’s worth of games.

Will Maxey be in Attack Mode?

The third-year guard’s best quality, along with his speed, is his willingness to attack. Whether it’s driving to the basket or displaying confidence in his deep shot that’s become so reliable over the last 90 games, Maxey has never been gun-shy in his young career.

The fractured foot incident is the first time Maxey suffered a significant injury at any level. Sometimes, injuries tend to delay players’ confidence upon return. The next couple of games will be a real test for Maxey, physically and mentally.

On a Minutes Restriction?

When James Harden returned to the floor after missing a month’s worth of action due to a tendon strain, Doc Rivers mentioned that the star guard would have a minutes restriction.

As we know, Harden’s minutes restriction was essentially non-existent, as he averaged 41 minutes on the court in his first three games back. It’s hard to believe Doc Rivers when he says a player will be limited upon return after witnessing the way Harden’s playing time was handled, but you have to assume Maxey won’t see the court for his typical 36 minutes on Friday, considering the circumstances.

Prior to Harden’s return, the All-Star had a few practice sessions with the team and was able to do some light conditioning for a couple of weeks. Thursday’s Sixers practice in New Orleans was the first full practice Maxey participated in since going down in November. It’s safe to assume he’s not in tip-top shape, which means a minutes restriction is in play.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.