Tyrese McKay is candid about the “extremely difficult” mental toll on the 76ers’ season

Nobody on Philadelphia 76ers he wanted their 2024-25 season to go the way it is currently going. All the hype surrounding Joel Embiid’s Big 3, Tyrese McKay and Paul George has dried up—and almost certainly won’t be back anytime soon.

The Sixers fell to 15-24 on the season in a loss to the New York Knicks. Embiid missed his sixth straight game and has only played in 13 games so far. Aside from the alien injuries to the New Orleans Pelicans that have sunk to the deepest depths of the Western Conference standings, the Sixers have been the most surprising team this season.

When asked how mentally tough this season was, Maxi admitted that it wasn’t easy. But he also stressed that he looks at the overall positives of being in the NBA and focuses on helping his teammates stay positive.

“It’s definitely hard.” “It’s definitely hard,” Maxey said. “Like you said, I’ve been winning at all levels my whole career, so I think it’s early for me… Now I don’t feel the pressure or anything. I feel like I want to go out there and compete every night and I want everybody that’s out there to take advantage of the opportunity and not take it for granted, because it doesn’t always happen that way in the NBA.

Tyrese McKay opens up on a disappointing 76ers season

Guys like Justin Edwards and Jeff Dowtin Jr. won’t always get a chance to play extended minutes, so Maxey tells them to take advantage of every opportunity. While those opportunities are legitimate chances to play extended minutes, they come when things go wrong for the Sixers.

The 76ers suffered brutal injuries and made things difficult for themselves with poor plays on the floor. This roster was touted as one that could survive Embiid’s absence, but it did anything but. Even though winning games without Embiid has been accompanied by injuries to other key players throughout the season, there have still been plenty of chances for the Sixers to win without him going to waste.

Things are it will only get harder. The 76ers have lost each of their last four games and are about to begin a road trip against three teams in the playoffs. Their first home game after that road trip? Cleveland Cavaliers.

While the playoffs aren’t out of the question for the 76ers — they’re just out of playoff territory — it won’t be easy for them to break through.