The Philadelphia 76ers will be suiting up to meet their long-time rival, Boston Celtics, at TD Garden tonight. And it looks like the Sixers will be missing a few key players for a long-anticipated matchup. Philly’s Tyrese Maxey won’t be available for tonight’s game.

Wojnarowski has confirmed that Maxey has been affected by an illness that will keep him sidelined. What could this mean for the Keystone State?

Tyrese Maxey affected by illness bug

According to Woj, Maxey caught the same bug that has kept the reigning MVP, Joel Embiid, away. With Embiid and Maxey not present, and Nic Batum, with a finger injury also sidelined, tonight’s game has every chance of going awry.

Not to be a Grinch, of course, but post-Harden, the Sixers were supposed to crumble down. Coach Nurse’s strategic gameplays, coupled with Embiid and Maxey’s efficient plays, were what got the team going at full strength. And now, not only are the Sixers’ star duo out, they are also missing a vital piece in starting forward Nicolas Batum.

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It’s halftime and Philly is at 72 to Boston’s 69 (at the time of writing). Might be early to pass on a definite opinion, but the Sixers seem to be holding their own so far. A major part of what helps this could very well be the change in the direction.

The secret to the Sixers’ contender-level games

As mentioned above, many expected the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ to fumble around at the loss of a brother. Especially given that the deal for Harden did not include another player of an All-Star capacity in return. But that’s when the magic happened.

James Harden’s Replacement Shines for 76ers and Coach Nick Nurse Couldn’t be Happier

Earlier in the year, the management had fired Doc Rivers and hired Nick Nurse in his place. While many were not too happy with the veteran coach’s exit, the results of the change soon started becoming apparent. Nurse had varied approaches to maximize the team’s strengths for a better overall production.

He immediately started his work on the big man, Embiid, by putting him in decision-making spots on the perimeter to a higher degree. As opposed to Rivers’ scheme of running the offense from the center out, which allowed Joel to dominate the interior, this strategy provided him with the ability to make decisions in the space rather than the post. It also helped him create easier looks for teammates frequently.

This works because when faced with teams having stronger interior defenders, the opponents could easily collapse onto Joel, get the upper hand when he wasn’t at full speed in the playoffs, etc. leaving the burden of the 76ers’ success on Harden. Often leaving behind a grumpy “Beard”.

Of course, other factors contributed to and continue to do so for the team’s success, but that’s a topic for another day. Do you think Philly can come out victorious tonight?

Watch This Story: White Hot Tyrese Maxey Drops 50-Bomb as Joel Embiid Maintains MVP Display: 3 Takeaways From 76ERS’ Demolition of Pacers