In tough Game 4, Maxey comes back to reality

Early in the Sixers’ firstround playoff series, Tyrese Maxey was playing like an All-Star, complete with impressive boxscore lines and a custom-crafted chant from Sixers fans.

In a 110-102 loss Saturday in Toronto, Maxey played like a second-year guard, settling for 11 points in 39 minutes.

As it has been said once or twice around that operation, it’s a process.

“They made some adjustments,” Maxey said. “They are trying to trap a little bit less, then boxing in the elbows and then trapping. They’re doing a lot of different things. And it throws you off.”

The Sixers will need the best from Maxey if they expect to make a deep playoff run.

For that, there was Doc

Rivers Saturday, engaging his young guard in a lengthy bench-side conversation during the third quarter.

“It was just coaching,” Maxey said. “Just coaching. He was trying to help me. It’s hard sometimes, knowing when to go or when to stay in your spot or when to flash when we get fronted. So he was trying to help me. I appreciate it and will take the coaching.”

••• Despite an injured right thumb, Joel Embiid played 39 minutes. The Sixers are worried about where it will lead.

“Yeah, there’s concern,” Rivers said. “But it is what it is.”

Aware of the situation, the Raptors were physical with Embiid at every opportunity, yet the Sixers’ center was granted an uncharacteristically low nine foul shots.

Earlier in the series, Embiid scolded the Raptors for grumbling about the officiating.

“I’ll take my own advice,” Embiid said, “and not complain about fouls.”

He might as well get used to it, for as long as the NBA is aware that his thumb is malfunctioning, there remains the slightest possibility that the odd opponent might give it a hack.

“The one thing we know,” Rivers assured, “is that the injury can’t get worse by playing.”

The Sixers will order an MRI test for Embiid, not that they expect many surprises.

“I think we already know what it is, to be honest,” Rivers said. “We’ve just got to make sure. There really is no additional treatment.”

The rampaging theory is that Embiid has a ligament tear.

“Yeah, we’re not sure,” Rivers said. “But we feel like it is not a great injury. I’m just going to leave it at that.”

••• Danny Green, who has been on three NBA championship teams, recently obliged the press with the simple claim that the toughest games to win are those that can close out a series.

While the Sixers’ loss Saturday seemed to support that theory, Rivers is not convinced of its validity.

“I think every game is hard,” he said. “I really do. Whenever you win, you look at it as a hard game. Game 3 was pretty hard. That’s my point.

“They’re all hard. I think it’s something we all say. But I always say you’ve got to focus on the moment and what you have to do, then everything else falls in.”