Two NBA stars suffered notable injuries this week with similar setbacks. Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was pulled early from Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers because of hamstring discomfort.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson missed his team’s Friday night road game against the Orlando Magic for the same reason.

According to Sixers officials, Maxey underwent an MRI in the West after the Sixers failed to hold off the Clippers. Testing confirmed that Maxey has a torn right hamstring. He was ruled out of Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and will miss at least a week of action.

A few days later, Zion Williamson got an MRI on his hamstring and received a similar diagnosis. The All-Star is dealing with a hamstring strain and is expected to be re-evaluated in the “coming weeks,” according to The ESPNs Shams Charania.

The Sixers won’t be able to confirm Maxey’s official recovery timeline until he undergoes his first post-diagnosis evaluation. However, Charania had the same message for Maxey as he did for Williamson — it could be several weeks before the Sixers see their star point guard return.

The Pelicans and Sixers have been pretty similar in dealing with notable absences and have gotten off to a rocky start. Through the first ten games, the Pelicans won just 30 percent of their outings. Including a loss Friday night against the Magic, the Pelicans are in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Only the Utah Jazz have a worse record.

The Sixers, on the other hand, had to rely heavily on Maxey in the first few weeks of action. Joel Embiid has been grounded while following a strict injury management plan. Paul George was nursing a knee injury that occurred during the 2024 preseason.

Maxey’s usage has never been higher as he has shouldered much of the responsibility for the Sixers early on, playing minutes at a career-high rate. Unfortunately, an injury will keep him out for a long time.

While all players are different in how they heal, Williamson’s recovery will be something to watch from the Sixers’ point of view. With Maxey facing the same setback, their recovery timelines could mirror each other.

Meanwhile, the Sixers hope to lift Paul George’s minutes restriction soon and start using Embiid for the first time this year. Because Embiid is technically cleared to play right now, he will be eligible to return to the court next Tuesday when his suspension is lifted.