Doc Rivers: Victor Oladipo should have been called for flagrant on Tyrese Maxey
PHILADELPHIA–Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey had Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo on an island late in the third quarter on Monday night.
With the clock winding down, Maxey was in a groove and he was looking to get Philadelphia a bit closer going into the fourth quarter. He put a move on Oladipo before he stepped back and missed a 3, but he landed on Oladipo’s foot and he was on the ground in some pain.
Maxey was grabbing at his ankle between the third and fourth quarters before limping over to the bench. To his credit, he stayed in the game and he made a triple in the fourth quarter before fouling out.
Coach Doc Rivers was upset after the 101-99 loss to the Heat and he said Oladipo should have been called for a flagrant foul.
“I thought Tyrese absolutely got fouled at the end of the quarter,” said Rivers. “I thought it was a flagrant because he landed on his ankle and that’s three free shots, but they’re not perfect just like we were not tonight.”
Tyrese Maxey was white hot in that third before Victor Oladipo crept into his landing zone. Maxey would hold his left foot (the one he fractured earlier this season) but remains in the game. Hopefully he’s OK. Yeesh pic.twitter.com/q1XqxqFstk
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) February 28, 2023
To Rivers’ point, the Sixers were far from perfect. They committed 20 turnovers and they had plenty of defensive breakdowns that led to the Heat knocking down 15 triples. It was an effort that will not be good enough to win in the playoffs.
As far as Maxey’s ankle is concerned, Rivers and the Sixers are in wait-and-see mode as they now get set to head to Miami for a rematch with the Heat on Wednesday.
“He’s fine,” Rivers stated. “Those young guys. It looked like his ankle went over pretty good, too, but he told me afterwards he felt fine. We’ll see tomorrow (Tuesday). That’s when usually we’ll find out.”
