Tyrese Maxey Remains Away as Rockets Matchup Approaches

The Philadelphia 76ers have had players going in and coming out of the protocol a lot lately. Just as it seemed the Sixers were inching towards getting fully

The Philadelphia 76ers have had players going in and coming out of the protocol a lot lately. Just as it seemed the Sixers were inching towards getting fully healthy once again, they lost a handful of players due to COVID-19-related reasons.

76ers guard Tyrese Maxey falls under that category, and it wasn't his first time. A few weeks ago, as the Sixers prepared for a matchup against the Washington Wizards, Maxey was entered into the protocol for the first time this year.

However, unlike most players who get ruled out for several games right off the bat, Maxey was questionable heading into the Wizards matchup. Fortunately, he was cleared for action and never missed time due to COVID-related reasons.

But fast forward a couple of weeks later, and that's no longer the case. Last Monday, as the Sixers were getting ready for their matchup against the Houston Rockets, Matisse Thybulle and Tyrese Maxey were ruled out ahead of tip-off. 

Thybulle, who was questionable leading up to the game, found himself ruled out and didn't return until Friday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs.

As for Maxey, he wasn't initially listed on the Sixers' injury report, but he returned a positive test ahead of last Monday's matchup, which caused him to be a late scratch.

Maxey Remains in the Protocol

At this point, Thybulle is back in action, but Maxey has yet to return. In addition to missing last Monday's game, Maxey also missed the next two matchups against the Orlando Magic and the Spurs. 

The Sixers, who returned to the practice court on Sunday before traveling to Houston for their Monday night matchup, didn't have Maxey around once again.

When asked about the young guard's health, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers didn't hesitate to clarify that Maxey is still in the NBA's health and safety protocol.

"He's still out," Rivers said. "He's still trying to get through the protocol. It's just all protocol. Everything is always protocol now with the league. You gotta reach certain numbers." While Maxey has yet to be cleared, Rivers and the Sixers confirmed that Maxey feels fine. While he's unlikely to make the trip to Houston to play against the Rockets on Monday, Maxey seems to be trending in the right direction and could be back sometime next week. 

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