Tyrese Maxey Illness Forces Last-Minute 76ers Lineup Change vs Pacers—Details Inside

Philadelphia, PA — Philadelphia 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey will miss tonight’s home game against the Indiana Pacers after being officially downgraded from questionable to out because of a non-COVID illness, ending his perfect attendance streak through the first 23 contests of the 2025-26 NBA season. The late scratch forces head coach Nick Nurse to shuffle a starting lineup that has relied heavily on Maxey’s league-best 36.1 minutes per night and his 27.4 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.1 rebounds averages — all career highs that put the 25-year-old firmly in the All-NBA conversation. Nurse told reporters he will “look at a mix of Quentin Grimes and rookie Jared McCain” to fill the back-court vacancy, but emphasized that ball-handling duties will become a committee approach alongside MVP candidate Joel Embiid. Maxey’s illness arrives at an inopportune moment for Philadelphia. The Sixers (17-6) have dropped two of their last three and are chasing Boston for the Eastern Conference’s top seed. Indiana, meanwhile, is decimated by injuries of its own — Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring), Aaron Nesmith (wrist), and Obi Toppin (ankle) are all sidelined — yet the Pacers have still won back-to-back games behind rookie scoring leader Matas Buzelis. Nurse insisted that Maxey’s setback is “strictly day-to-day,” echoing the team’s designation on Friday morning. League sources described the guard’s symptoms as “flu-like,” and there is optimism he could rejoin the club for Monday’s nationally televised clash with the Knicks. Still, Philadelphia’s medical staff will monitor his hydration and energy levels over the weekend before clearing him for full practice. Fantasy-basketball managers and sports-bettors reacted swiftly to the news: Maxey’s points and assists props were removed from several sportsbooks within minutes of the downgrade, while Embiid’s usage-rate projection spiked by nearly five percent. The Sixers are 2-4 when Maxey sits dating back to last season, underscoring how critical his downhill speed and catch-and-shoot efficiency (41.8 percent on 8.1 three-point attempts) have become to the club’s pace-and-space attack. In Maxey’s absence, look for Philadelphia to feature more high-post actions through Embiid and recently returned Paul George, whose three-guard pick-and-roll chemistry with Grimes has been a Nurse favorite in second-unit minutes. Grimes is averaging 18.6 points on 47 percent shooting in his four previous starts. Meanwhile, McCain, the No. 16 pick in June, logged a season-high 21 minutes during Wednesday’s win over Golden State and could see extended run as a secondary playmaker. The Sixers have until 5:30 p.m. ET to submit their final active list, but barring a rapid turnaround, Maxey will watch from the bench in street clothes — a rare sight for one of the league’s most durable rising stars. Philadelphia hopes the night off will be a short-term precaution rather than the beginning of a lingering winter bug, as Maxey’s two-pronged All-Star and Most Improved Player campaign has become central to the franchise’s championship aspirations. Updates on Maxey’s status for the upcoming Atlantic Division showdown are expected during Sunday’s practice availability.